Ballpark Estimate: $1.1 million to $30 million
If you are a connoisseur of the finest jewelry, you likely know that today you can find a variety of extravagant pieces designed to meet a wide range of tastes. Whether you want your neck to be decked with small but perfect diamonds or you prefer more colorful glitz, like a flashy multi-gemstone ring, with a large enough budget you can indulge your deepest desires. Just be prepared with a few million or even more if you want to own one of the most expensive, and most precious, pieces on the market.
Ten of the Highest-Priced Bling
How and where you buy your jewelry depends on many factors. Whether you shop for a new necklace at Tiffany’s & Co. or prefer to bid on a valuable antique ring at auction, the choices are endless. Here is a sampling of the types of items you can own if you can afford the high price tags.
10. Panther Brooch (House of Cartier)
One sure way to catch people’s attention is by wearing a unique panther brooch designed by the House of Cartier. This unusual piece, which is made of a mix of white gold and platinum, is accented with a variety of precious gemstones, including a 65.9 carat Ceylon sapphire, 102 Cabochon sapphires that total 10.7 carats, 868 diamonds that together equal 16.4 carats and two emeralds that are 1.1 carats combined. The price for such magnificence is $1.1 million.
9. Diamond Watch (Chanel)
If you want to tell time in the most stylish way, how about investing in one of the most timeless watches you can buy today? Chanel makes a classic 18-karat white gold bracelet watch decked with 133 flawless D diamonds of varying sizes and 120 cultured pearls, mixing style with function in the classiest way. The diamonds total 35.1 carats and the pearls are 6 to 6.5 millimeters each. The price for this piece, which is part of Chanel’s Collection Privee, is $1.9 million.
8. Diamond Necklace (William Goldberg)
If you want something perfect for a special occasion, try the “fancy diamond necklace” designed by New York jeweler William Goldberg. This extravagant item consists of an array of multi-colored diamonds that are housed in a platinum and 18-karat yellow gold setting. The total weight of the stones equals 45 carats. This eye-catching necklace is $2 million.
7. Diamond Pendant (Tiffany & Co.)
Since diamonds are forever, you can’t go wrong with a magnificent pear-shaped diamond pendant offered by Tiffany & Co. This choker-length style has a pear-shaped center stone that’s 41.4 carats, surrounded by a variety of smaller round and pear-shaped diamonds. With a price tag of $2.5 million, you can be sure all of the diamonds are of the highest quality.
6. Diamond And Emerald Necklace (Chopard)
If you have lots of green to spend, consider buying a necklace worthy of the investment, such as Chopard’s diamond and emerald necklace. Made from 191 carats of Columbian emeralds, the sparkling deep color is sure to turn others green with envy. The emeralds are accented with 16 carats of rose-cut and drop-shaped diamonds. While the price is advertised as “on request,” rumor has it that this beauty sells in the $3 millionrange.
5. Blue Diamond (Sotheby)
If you have an amazing blue diamond on your finger, chances are you’ll never have reason to feel blue yourself. Such a unique deep blue stone totaling 6.04 carats was sold by a private collection at auction through Sotheby’s in Hong Kong in 2007. The buyer was Moussaieff Jewellers in London. They paid $7.98 million to add this rare and precious piece to their collection of valuable gems.
4. Diamond Drop Earrings (House Of Harry Winston)
Make any occasion extra special by dressing up with the House of Harry Winston’s diamond drop earrings. These glittering jewels, which are set in platinum, are the perfect accent no matter what you wear. Each earring consists of a pear-shaped diamond, with a total weight of 60.1 carats for the pair. To own such extravagance will cost you $8.5 million.
3. Heart-Shaped Burma Ruby Necklace (British Jeweler)
The perfect necklace for a wealthy jewelry-lover who also appreciates romance is a heart-shaped Burma ruby that is 40.63 carats big. The impact of this stone is magnified even further since it is mounted on a diamond necklace made of 155 carats. For a price of $14 million, this piece, which is available through a prestigious British jeweler, can even double as a tiara.
2. White Diamond (Sotheby)
If you are a real traditionalist at heart who likes to do things big, you might consider an amazing 100.1 carat white diamond stone that was sold by Sotheby’s in Geneva back in 1995. The stone sold for more than $16 million then, which when adjusted for inflation today equals almost $23 million.
1. Diamond Bikini (Susan Rosen And Steinmetz)
If you want to deck yourself out with the glitziest jewels, try wearing them all over your body. One of the most extravagant jewelry items available to date is actually practical, too, since it is a diamond bikini. This delicate and beautiful item is made from more than 150 carats of flawless D quality diamonds of different shapes that are set in platinum. For a shocking $30 million, this piece, which is the result of a collaboration between designer Susan Rosen and Steinmetz Diamonds, sets the record not only as the most expensive jewelry on the market but also as the most expensive bathing suit, too.
The Hope Diamond
While this list presents some of the most precious jewels available today and some of the most noteworthy jewel sales, it would not be complete without mentioning another, even more valuable, piece of jewelry that is on display at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. The Hope Diamond is a 45.52 carat deep blue diamond gemstone that has a long, and complicated, history, and over the years has been said to bring a spate of ill-fortune to its owners. Despite this fact, that doesn’t make it any less popular or famous. While the Hope Diamond is difficult to appraise today, one expert recently placed its value in the $200 million range. (You can also purchase one of the many inexpensive replicas of this stone available for under $100.)
Rent If You Can’t Afford To Own
If you love beautiful jewelry but can’t afford the high price tag, you don’t have to resort to wearing costume knock-offs. There is another option. A London jeweler named Bentley & Skinner rents some of their best pieces for a daily rate of one percent of the selling price. There is a catch, though. You have to pony up the full selling price in order to gain possession of an item, but will receive the balance back, minus the rental fee, when you return the piece in perfect condition.