Top 20 Most Expensive Jewelry Pieces in the World

1. Wittelsbach-Graff Diamond – $80 million

Wittelsbach-Graff Diamond is a 35.56-carat deep blue diamond, found in the Kollur Mine in the Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh in Southeast India. It has a rich history, passing through the hands of various noble families, from King Philip IV of Spain to the Wittelsbach family of Bavaria royalty, and later adorned on the crown of the Austrian royal family. In 2008, Laurence Graff, a jewelry expert in England, bought it for $23.4 million, then recut it by 4.5 carats to enhance its brilliance and value. In 2011, the Wittelsbach-Graff Diamond was sold to the royal family of Qatar for $80 million (equivalent to 1,808 billion VND).

The diamond first gained mention about fifty years after its arrival in Vienna. It belonged to the Habsburg family and came to Munich in 1722 when Maria Amalia married Charles of Bavaria, a member of the Wittelsbach family. In 1745, the Wittelsbach diamond was first mounted on the Golden Fleece Order of Bavaria. When Maximilian IV Joseph von Wittelsbach became the first King of Bavaria in 1806, he wore a royal crown, prominently featuring the diamond. Until 1918, the gem remained on top of the Bavarian crown. It was last seen in public at the funeral of Ludwig III of Bavaria in 1921.

The original Wittelsbach diamond, also known as Der Blaue Wittelsbacher, is a striking deep blue diamond with a VS2 clarity. Its color and clarity are compared to the Hope Diamond. This diamond has a diameter of 24.40 mm (0.961 in) and a depth of 8.29 mm (0.326 in). It has 82 facets arranged in an unusual pattern. The star facets on the crown are divided vertically, and each row has sixteen kite-shaped facets, arranged in pairs, pointing outward from the center.

2. L’Incomparable Diamond Necklace – $55 million

L’Incomparable Diamond Necklace holds the title of the world's most expensive necklace crafted by the renowned company Mouawad. This exquisite necklace features a flawless yellow diamond weighing over 407 carats suspended on a backdrop of rose gold adorned with 90 white diamonds totaling nearly 230 carats. The centerpiece yellow diamond is the highlight of this masterpiece, cut from a raw diamond weighing 890 carats discovered by a young girl in the rubble in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the 1980s.

The largest diamond on this L’Incomparable necklace weighs 890 carats, revealed to the public in its polished form in 1984. It has been showcased at the National Museum of Natural History and has made appearances in various museums since then. L'Incomparable was completed in 2012 and was certified by Guinness World Records as the most expensive necklace still in existence in 2013, marking an extraordinarily fascinating novelty.

The centerpiece gemstone of L'Incomparable necklace, set in 18k rose gold, is a shield-cut brownish-yellow diamond, with 407.48 carats Fancy Deep, the largest flawless diamond ever inside. The lavish necklace features dangling below 229.52kg of diamonds including: 35 rough diamonds, 27 pear-shaped diamonds, 9 heart-shaped diamonds, 5 emerald-cut diamonds, 5 cushion-cut diamonds, 4 oval-shaped diamonds, 3 Asscher-cut diamonds, 2 radiant-cut diamonds.

3. Pink Star Diamond Ring – $72 million USD

The Pink Star Diamond Ring features an oval-shaped pink diamond weighing nearly 59.6 carats. This diamond was cut from a rough diamond weighing 132.5 carats found in Africa. The Pink Star excels in color, size, and quality, once auctioned for up to $83 million USD. However, shortly after, Isaac Wolf, the diamond's owner, who fell into debt, sold the Pink Star for $72 million USD (approximately 1627 billion VND). The previous record for the most expensive auctioned diamond was $57.5 million USD for the 14.62-carat 'Oppenheimer Blue' diamond sold in May last year in Geneva.

The oval-shaped Pink Star Diamond was purchased at Sotheby's by the Hong Kong-based jewelry company Chow Tai Fook in a telephone bidding by the chairman, who renamed the diamond 'CTF PINK STAR' to honor his late father. The Pink Star was mined by De Beers at an undisclosed location in Africa in 1999. Originally a rough diamond weighing 132.5 carats, Sotheby's said it was 'cut and polished meticulously over a period of two years.'

The auction house described the Pink Star as a 'vivid pink diamond of unprecedented size and color with no internal flaws, the largest that the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) has ever classified.' The diamond is mounted on a ring, first sold in 2007, and the current owner remains anonymous. The vivid pink diamond is of 'tremendous significance' due to its exceptionally large size and particularly rich color surpassing all other known diamonds existing in government, royal, or private collections.

4. Zoe Diamond – $32.6 million USD

In 2014, the jewelry collection of Rachel Mellon – the wife of philanthropist Paul Mellon, was brought to auction at Sotheby’s. The highlight of the collection that attracted many seekers was The Zoe - a vibrant green diamond weighing 9.75 carats. Auctioneers believed it could fetch $15 million USD, however, The Zoe astounded them when it sold for $32.6 million USD. This not only made the Zoe Diamond one of the most expensive green diamonds globally but also the diamond with the highest price per carat ($3.3 million USD per carat).

Although many high-priced diamonds have famous histories such as origins and discovery dates, there isn't much information about this Zoe Diamond. What we know is that the stunning diamond was certified by GIA as an exceptionally rare green diamond with the highest possible color grade in green diamonds and it has excellent clarity of VVS2. It was auctioned by Sotheby's NY as part of Mrs. Paul Mellon's collection, one of the most prominent benefactors in finance, industry, and oil.

Green diamonds are among the rarest and most sought-after types of diamonds. The combination of low supply and high demand makes them extremely valuable. Even a high-quality 1-carat green diamond can fetch several hundred thousand dollars. The cause of their color is boron, a natural diamond impurity. With its beautiful hue, the Zoe Diamond is worthy of its $32.6 million USD price tag.

5. The Graff Pink Diamond Ring – $46.2 million USD

5. The Graff Pink Diamond Ring – $40 million USD

12. Heart of the Ocean Necklace - $17 million

The world of cinema not only brings us great films but also iconic pieces of jewelry. In 1997, Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet created the legend of the Titanic movie. One of the iconic props of the film is the 'Heart of the Ocean' necklace. After the film's success, the renowned jewelry store Harry Winston created a replica of the necklace using a real sapphire with a 15-carat blue diamond. Gloria Stewart - the actress who played the elderly Rose - wore this necklace at the Oscars.

Due to the fame of the Titanic movie, replicas of this blue diamond necklace have been crafted based on the original prototype. There are two notable examples we want to delve into further. The first one was donated for a charity auction by Sotheby's. It's a heart-shaped 171-carat sapphire surrounded by 103 diamonds set on a platinum necklace. It was bought by an anonymous collector for $2.2 million. Celine Dion had the honor of wearing this stunning piece at the 1998 Oscars.

The other necklace comes from the renowned jeweler Harry Winston, who owned the Hope Diamond, the Briolette of India, and many other famous diamonds. This jeweler crafted the Heart of the Ocean Diamond using a real 15-carat blue diamond. Blue diamonds are extremely rare, which is why this replica of the 'Heart of Ocean' necklace is priced at $17 million.

13. Blue Belle of Asia Necklace - $17.3 million

Sold at Christie’s auction house in Geneva in 2014, The Blue Belle of Asia is the fourth-largest sapphire in history and set a world record for the price of a sapphire. In addition to the 392.5-carat Ceylon sapphire, the necklace is made of gold and adorned with diamonds. The Blue Belle of Asia is one of the most legendary sapphires in the world and it earned the title of the most expensive blue sapphire when it was sold at Christie's Geneva in November 2014. The initial bidding price was $6.9 million and it was eventually sold for $17,564,156 to an undisclosed private collector.

The Blue Belle of Asia features an untreated cushion-cut 392.52-carat sapphire from Ceylon. It is suspended on a dazzling diamond-cut necklace and mounted on a diamond and white gold necklace. Gemstones over 100 carats are often featured in many articles but the quality and size of this sapphire make comparisons hard to come by. Its deep captivating blue hue is enough to catch every eye and was highly coveted throughout the auction by enthusiastic private collectors and professional traders mostly from the Middle East.

This natural gemstone was first discovered in 1926 in Ratnapura, the “City of Gems” in Sri Lanka. After initial cutting and polishing, the Blue Belle of Asia weighed approximately 400 carats and was sold to Lord Nuffield, the founder of Morris Motors Limited, in 1937. The sapphire set on the Blue Belle of Asia with its size, color, and clarity to this extent is extremely rare and ranks as one of the most prestigious gemstones ever to grace the market.

14. Chopard Blue Diamond Ring - $16.26 million

Chopard only works with diamonds that fluoresce from 'none' to 'faint'. Each stone is individually selected for the most beautiful and highest quality diamonds. Assessed by an expert under 10x magnification, the diamonds are classified into 11 official types, with Chopard only retaining those with exceptional clarity. Chopard offers a variety of carat sizes for its diamonds. Formed over millions of years and enduring the harshest conditions, diamonds are nature's masterpieces. Chopard's diamond rings are true works of art.

The Chopard Blue Diamond ring is a valuable engagement ring created by the renowned jewelry company Chopard. Blue diamonds are considered one of the rarest forms of gemstones. They are found near the Boron mine, a factor that gives diamonds their distinctive color. This Chopard Blue Diamond ring is priced at $16.26 million, gifted by the Chopard brand in the summer of 2008.

The Chopard Blue Diamond ring is crafted from white gold, surrounding an oval-shaped blue diamond. Considered the most expensive ring in the world, the Chopard Blue Diamond is valued at $16 million. Perfect in every aspect, the ring features a 9-carat oval-shaped blue diamond, set atop a triangular diamond band and encased in an 18k gold band. The rarity of blue diamonds makes this ring a gemstone of exceptional value.

15. The Graff Vivid Yellow Ring - $16.3 million

The ring is crafted by British jewelry expert Laurence Graff and his company Graff Diamonds. The Graff Vivid Yellow features a 100-carat yellow diamond surrounded by numerous smaller diamonds. This gigantic stone set a world record for yellow diamonds at a Sotheby’s auction in Geneva. Initially a 190-carat rough diamond purchased by Graff in South Africa, it took 9 months of cutting to achieve its current brilliance.

The Graff Vivid Yellow boasts the color of yellow water lilies and weighs 100.09 carats, among many pieces auctioned at the Sotheby's Jewelry Spring and Nobel Jewelry auction in Switzerland on May 13, 2014. This is the 100.09-carat Graff Vivid Yellow, one of the most vivid and largest yellow diamonds in the world. It is also one of the largest yellow diamonds in the world, set as a ring and dazzling with 'unusual fire and brilliance.'

The Graff Vivid Yellow is cushion-cut from a 190-carat rough stone by master cutter Nino Bianco in New York, commissioned by British jeweler Laurence Graff, and now set as a ring. $16.3 million is the price a private buyer paid to a private seller, the highest figure ever for a yellow diamond.

16. Magnificent Ruby Diamond Necklace - $12.99 million

The Magnificent Ruby Diamond Necklace is marked as the most expensive necklace ever auctioned after being presented to Crimson Garlan. In the summer of 2015, it was sold at Christie's Hong Kong for $12,997,122 to a buyer who refused to disclose their identity. Designed by Etcetera, the necklace features a diamond-studded chain. Two rows of oval and cushion-shaped rubies are strung together by 13 brilliant-cut diamonds in a perfect pear-shaped motif at the center.

The Magnificent Ruby Diamond Necklace is designed as a dazzling interconnected diamond mesh chain with articulated links, centered around a line of pear-shaped diamonds graduating, thirteen pear-shaped diamonds weighing approximately 5.14 to 1.00 carats, surrounded by two rows of Oval and cushion-shaped rubies weighing approximately 7.02 to 1.10 carats, with a brilliant-cut diamond-link chain with a pear-shaped diamond accent, mounted in 18k white gold, 43.9 cm long.

The alluring and saturated color of these stones, romantically referred to as 'pigeon's blood' - is due to the balanced trace element composition in these gemstones, characteristic of the finest rubies from Myanmar. These rubies have been heat-treated without color and clarity enhancements, thus entirely natural. Assembling natural rubies from Myanmar of appropriate quality and size - all exhibiting the most sought-after 'pigeon's blood' color - is extremely rare and exceptional.

17. The Bvlgari Blue Ring - $15.7 million

Green diamonds are extremely rare, exquisitely beautiful, and steeped in legend. This unique combination has made them highly coveted by diamond enthusiasts and jewelry connoisseurs alike. The presence of boron impurities is often the cause of the color in natural green diamonds. However, their color can also result from exposure to radiation or association with hydrogen. Naturally green diamonds caused by radiation exposure are typically described as greenish-blue, while those with a color association with hydrogen are described as grayish-blue to bluish-gray.

This The Bvlgari Blue ring features a distinctive design, utilizing two diamonds of different colors, including a 10.95-carat blue diamond and a 0.87-carat white diamond, set in a gold ring encrusted with baguette-cut diamonds. Created in 1970, a European collector purchased the ring for $1 million as a gift for his wife. When the ring was auctioned again in 2010, experts believed it would fetch around $12 million, but it actually reached a price of $15.7 million.

The beauty of green diamonds is astounding, but they also pose unique cutting challenges. The rough portions often lack symmetry, which can make it more difficult to determine how the stone should be cut and polished. Rough green diamonds can also exhibit color zoning—areas with more intense blue-green color than other areas. Cutters aim to achieve the best color from a diamond while still retaining as much weight as possible, and color zoning can make this balancing act extremely challenging.

Wallis Simpson is perhaps best known for her relationship with King Edward VIII when he abdicated the throne of England in 1930. Simpson received many gifts from Edward, one of which was auctioned in 2010 – the Cartier panther bracelet. The Wallis Simpson Panther Bracelet is crafted from diamonds and onyx, with its most remarkable feature being the mesmerizing emerald eyes.

The Wallis Simpson panther bracelet, with single-cut diamonds and calibrated onyx, is the third and most iconic piece in a series of Big Cat jewelry items created by Cartier for the Duchess. With diamond-studded ears pointed back and captivating emerald eyes staring intensely at you, and a sharp platinum tooth, the panther seems to come to life, ready to pounce on anyone who comes near.

The Wallis Simpson Panther Bracelet, believed to be the most famous bracelet in the world, represents a perfect trio in the history of jewelry. Wallis Simpson, the Duchess of Windsor, though denied the right to become Queen of England, along with her husband, former King Edward VIII, rose to become the Queen of Style. Through bold jewelry designs and unparalleled dedication to fashion, Wallis Simpson became one of the most stylish women in the world, setting enduring style trends, more than 70 years after she held the center stage. At two auctions, her jewelry pieces fetched record prices.

This tiara is crafted from diamonds and emeralds created around 1900, owned by Princess Katharina Henckel von Donnersmarck. It features 11 rare Colombian emeralds shaped like pears, each potentially weighing up to 500 carats. Alongside silver, gold, and small diamonds, there are 11 cushion-cut diamonds set on the tiara's band.

This emerald and diamond tiara takes inspiration from leaves and flowers. The base is set with a central row of eleven large cushion-cut diamonds, each diamond set between pairs of Lily of the Valley. Below this row is a motif of laurel leaves, and above are decorative ribbons, all threaded and set with millet grain beads throughout with roses and sparkling diamonds.

The tiara is encircled by a row of eleven polished pear-shaped emeralds, totaling approximately 500 carats, evenly sized from the center, each emerald drilled and held within diamond-studded pyramid motifs, the nine largest emeralds set with diamond roses, mounted in silver and gold. The emeralds are detachable. This emerald and diamond tiara was sold at Sotheby's magnificent and prestigious jewelry auction in May 2011 for a record-breaking $11,912,064.

The Vivid Pink is also a famous ring by Graff, with a 5-carat cushion-cut pink diamond at the center. On each side are shield-shaped diamonds set on the ring shank made of platinum and 18k rose gold. This exquisite ring features a 12.02-carat Fancy Vivid Pink pear-shaped diamond, a dream-worthy gem, one of the rarest and most dazzling diamonds in the world.

Graff revealed that the pink diamond was polished from a 13.33-carat rough diamond purchased from Gem Diamonds. Master jewelers set a 5.63-carat pear-shaped stone, vividly pink, in a rose gold ring. Two smaller pear shapes, also cut from the same rough, flank the main diamonds on either side. Gem Diamonds mined this rough diamond—the largest pink diamond it has unearthed since 2011—from the Letšeng mine in Lesotho.

The extraordinary 13.33-carat pink diamond was mined in February at the Letšeng mine in Lesotho, Africa, by Gem Diamonds miners. The Letšeng mine is renowned for its large, high-value rough diamonds. Other notable diamonds from this mine include the Lesotho Legend, a 910-carat white diamond, the fifth largest in the world, and the Letšeng Star, a 550-carat white diamond, the second largest diamond ever mined from the mine. Graff set a new record with the purchase of the 13.33-carat pink diamond.