They say that all that glitters is not gold and, well, they are right. Diamonds, sapphires, emeralds and more, they all glitter too! With these pieces of exquisite jewellery, the more the merrier — the bigger the price tag. Join antique engagement ring retailer, AC Silver, to discover some of the most precious jewellery in the world.
Watch: Graff Diamonds’ Hallucination
Weight: 110 carats
Worth: $55 million (£41,534,625.00 approx.)
Saying this watch is ‘studded’ with diamonds would be doing it a disservice. The wrist piece is positively doused with coloured diamonds. Pink, orange, blue, the list goes on. The miniature watch-face in the centre of it all is set in a halo of pink diamonds. According to Graff’s own website, the watch “takes jewellery watchmaking to a whole new level”. The watch’s conception came from none other than Laurence Graff himself, and is a staggering display of craftsmanship.
There’s an added bonus when wearing this watch if you happen to be running a little behind. It certainly gives “fashionably late” a whole new meaning.
Ring: The Pink Star
Weight: 59.6 carats
Worth: $72 million (£54,372,600.00 approx.)
This is a ring to put on someone you really, really like. The Telegraph reported in 2017 that The Pink Star ring, an internally flawless pink diamond ring, sold at auction for $71.2 million. The buyer, retailer Chow Tai Fook, now possesses the largest Fancy Vivid Pink diamond of a flawless nature ever graded by the GIA. The auction was run by Sotheby’s, who revealed that the oval cut took around two years to achieve. The Pink Star is also twice as big as another well-known pink diamond, the Graff Pink.
Broach: Graff Diamonds’ Peacock Brooch
Weight: 120 carats
Worth: $100 million (£75,517,500.00 approx.)
Griff Diamonds is back on our list again, with this brooch valued at nearly double that of their watch. This $100 million brooch is in the shape of a peacock, with a stunning tail displaying white and yellow diamonds. For an added touch of royalty, the body of the peacock is made from an extremely rare fancy blue diamond. Forbes notes that the brooch also has an additional clasp, so you can wear the blue diamond on its own and wear it two ways. So it’s functional as well as pretty, in case you were on the fence about buying this one.
Necklace: The Hope Diamond
Weight: 45.52 carats
Worth: $200-$250 million (£151,035,000.00 – £188,738,750.00 approx.)
This next one is famous for more than its sparkle. In fact, it’s possibly the most famous piece of antique diamond jewellery on our list. The Hope Diamond is a cushion-shaped dark blue diamond presently crafted into a necklace. In the past, the diamond has been set in a number of ways, from headpieces to pins. Currently owned by the Smithsonian Institution, the diamond is noted to have had numerous owners, and carries a story of it being cursed. According to the myth, the Hope Diamond’s owners were plagued with bad luck and untimely deaths.
MentalFloss gave an overview of some of the cursed claims of the Hope Diamond:
– Jean-Baptiste Tavernier; some stories say the man suffered a fever after stealing the diamond, and that his body became dinner for the wolves. Other stories say he died at 84.
– King Louis XVI met his end at the guillotine, aged 38.
– Marie Antoinette was also guillotined when she was 37 years old.
– Henry Pelham-Clinton, died at the age of 45.
– Wilhelm Fals, a Dutch jeweller who handled the diamond, was murdered by his own son.
– A Greek merchant who possessed the diamond drove his car over a cliff, killing himself and his family.
More recently, the carrier who delivered the diamond to its current home has endured a whole litany of bad luck. Nancy Pope wrote on the Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum’s blog that the carrier was involved in two accidents that left his leg and head wounded. Then, his wife sadly passed away from a heart attack. After that, his house caught fire, and his dog was strangled on his leash.
Remember, Coco Chanel’s famous quote advises that “before leaving the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off”. Maybe leave The Hope Diamond at home…
