Queen Marie Antoinette's pearl and diamond pendant
The over 200-year-old pearl and diamond pendant belonging to former French queen Marie Antoinette sold for around $36 million at Sotheby's auction in Geneva, Switzerland, on Nov. 14, 2018. Sotheby's said the price was a world record for a pearl. The pendant went to an anonymous private buyer.
Pink Legacy diamond
The diamond was sold for more than $50 million to U.S.-based luxury jeweler Harry Winston. Its per carat price of $2.6 million is a world record for a pink diamond, according to auction house Christie's. Categorized as "Fancy Vivid," the highest grade of color intensity, the diamond once belonged to the Oppenheimer family, which ran the De Beers diamond mining company.
The Art of de Grisogono
A 163-carat diamond - the largest of its kind to be auctioned - fetched $33.7 million at a Christie's event on Nov. 14, 2017. The white, matchbox-size stone was suspended on the emerald and diamond necklace The Art of de Grisogono, designed by Swiss jewelry maker de Grisogono. The flawless D color diamond was discovered in the Lulo mine in Angola in 2016.
Lesedi La Rona Diamond
The 1,109-carat uncut diamond, which is the world's second-biggest of gem quality, was sold for $53 million in a private sale to luxury jeweler Graff Diamonds. The stone was found by Canada's Lucara Diamond Corp. from the Karowe mine in Botswana and was named Lesedi La Rona, which means "Our Light" in Botswana's Tswana language.
Pink Star
The dazzling 59.6 carat oval mixed-cut diamond known as the "Pink Star" was sold for a record $71.2 million at a Sotheby’s auction house in Hong Kong on April 4, 2017. Mined by De Beers in South Africa in 1999, it is the largest flawless fancy vivid pink diamond ever graded by the Gemological Institute of America. Hong Kong jewelry retailer Chow Tai Fook won the auction.
Oppenheimer Blue
The rectangular-shaped blue gem fetched $57.6 million at Christie’s auction in Geneva, Switzerland in May 2016. The 14.62-carat largest fancy vivid blue diamond was named in the honor of its previous owner Sir Philip Oppenheimer, the late chairman of the sales cartel set up by De Beers called Central Selling Organization. The historic blue gem, nicknamed ‘the gem of gems’, has been set in a ring flanked by two smaller trapeze-shaped diamonds.
Diamond drops
Hailed as the world’s largest perfect pear-shaped diamond drops ever, the Miroir de l’Amour (Mirror of Love) earrings (L), weighing 123.43 carats, were sold for $18.11 million at Christie’s on Nov. 15, 2016 in Geneva, Switzerland. In addition, the flawless 147.28 carat Le Jardin d’Isabelle diamond necklace went for $8.03 million.
Winston Blue
Considered to be the largest blue diamond, this flawless jewel was bought by Harry Winston Inc., an American luxury jeweler and Swiss watch producer in May 2014. The 13.22-carat stone was bought for a price of $23.8 million (£19.4 million) at Christie’s Geneva.
L'Incomparable Diamond necklace
Hailed as the most expensive diamond necklace in the world, the 637-carat diamond necklace was created by luxury jeweler Mouawad and priced at $55 million (£45 million) at a jewelry show in Singapore in 2013.
Onyx and Diamond Panther Bracelet
Paved with single-cut diamonds and calibré-cut onyx, the exquisite bracelet was designed by Cartier in 1952. The jewelry was put up for auction by Sotheby’s on Sept. 23, 2010, in London, U.K. The estimated price was set at $12.4 million (£10.1 million).
Graff Pink
Once owned by American jeweler Harry Winston, the 24.78 carat jewel was sold by Sotheby’s Geneva for $46 million (£37.6 million) to the noted British diamond dealer Laurence Graff.
Sky Blue Diamond Ring
Created by Cartier, this 8.01 carat vivid blue diamond ring is set to go up for auction at Sotheby’s Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels event in Geneva on Nov. 16, 2016. The price is estimated at $15 million to $25 million (£12 million to £20.4 million).
Unnamed Oval D-Flawless Diamond
Offered at auction by Christie’s Geneva on Nov. 19, 2003, this diamond weighs 63.93 carats and is believed to be the largest D-color flawless diamond ever offered at auction. The stone was sold for $4.24 million (£3.46 million).
Emerald and Diamond Tiara
Created around 1900, the beautiful tiara was previously in the possession of Princess Katharina Henckel von Donnersmarck of Germany. In May 2011, it was sold for $12.7 million (£10.3 million)at Sotheby’s Magnificent and Noble Jewels Sale in Geneva.
Hope Diamond
Believed to have originated in India, the Hope Diamond was once presented to King Louis XIV of France. After changing several hands, the diamond acquired its name in 1839, when it was owned by a London banking family called Hope. Presently housed in the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., U.S., the 45.42 carat stone is insured for a whopping $250 million (£204 million).
Blue Belle of Asia
Setting a new world record for any sapphire sold at an auction, the 392.52 carat, cushion cut Ceylon sapphire fetched an impressive $17.7 million (£14.4 million) when it was auctioned by Christie’s in Geneva, in Nov. 2014. The previous record was held by a pair of Kashmir sapphire and diamond earrings, which were sold for $8.35 million (£6.8 million) in 2013.
Wittelsbach-Graff Diamond
In 2008, this flawless diamond was purchased by Laurence Graff for $19.9 million (£16.2 million). The diamond, which originally weighed 31.06 carats, was cut by three diamond cutters by Graff in 2010 to remove flaws. After that, the stone’s weight was reduced by over 4 carats.
