What do you think? Where do the diamonds come from? Antwerp, the Belgian city known as a hub for glittery business, showcases its elegance when jewelers mold its products into breathtaking jewelry.
Jewelry has been the symbol of wealth and royalty for ages. Luxury has no boundaries. There are several prestigious jewelry houses crafting masterpieces that transcend imagination. Undoubtedly, jewelry takes the spot of the most popular high-level products on the market. Necklaces epitomize elegance and opulence, adorned and passed through royalties, socialites, and elite collectors. It might seem like an act that “mostly rich elites” would get involved with, but on a deeper note, it’s artistic. Once delved into the beauty of this craft, it’s an absolute astonishment.
Through the decades, the world has seen some exceptional artistic crafts celebrating the beauty of gemstones. In this post, we will look at some of the most expensive necklaces in the world. These necklaces are works of art that have significantly defined luxury.
1. A Heritage In Bloom
Weight: 383.4 carats
Designer: Wallace Chan
Discovered: 2015
Price: $200 Million
This necklace tops the list of the most expensive necklaces in the world and is considered a pinnacle of jewel artistry. World-renowned Chinese jeweler Wallace Chan crafted it, featuring a flawless 104-carat diamond. Additionally, the necklace features an astonishing 11,551 diamonds cut from the famous Cullinan Heritage Diamond, one of the rarest stones ever discovered. All its diamonds, including the striking yellow one, were cut from the same 507.55-carat rough stone, ensuring perfect consistency in clarity and color. Apart from the diamonds, the necklace blends Eastern and Western design influences by incorporating 600 pink diamonds and white jade accents.
Creating this spectacular necklace required over 47,000 hours of work, and its modular design allows for 27 different wearing styles. Chow Tai Fook, a world-renowned jewelry company, currently owns A Heritage in Bloom, and it is not for sale.
2. L’Incomparable Diamond Necklace
Weight: 407.48 carats
Designer: Mouawad
Gemstone Discovery: 1980
Price: $55 Million
Lebanese jeweler Mouawad crafted this masterpiece, featuring The Incomparable, a yellow diamond weighing 407.48 carats. It is adorned with 230 carats of 90 smaller diamonds, making it a true spectacle of opulence. Decades ago, someone accidentally found the stone in the rubble of a Congolese mine in the 1980s, and it has since become one of history’s most expensive necklaces. Due to its astounding craftsmanship, this crown jewel has earned a place in the Guinness World Records.
3. The Heart of the Ocean
Weight: 45.52 carats (Hope Diamond)
Designer: Harry Winston
Gemstone Discovery: Kollur Mine, Golconda
Price: $20 Million
You will surely know about this necklace due to its references to pop culture. The 1997 film The Titanic showcased it; ever since, it has captivated romantics and movie enthusiasts worldwide. While the movie featured a fictionalized version, Harry Winston created the genuine necklace, valuing it at $20 million. Inspired by the legendary Hope Diamond, the necklace features a heart-shaped deep blue gemstone, surrounded by a halo of white diamonds and set in platinum. Crafted with a 15-carat blue diamond and white gold, Gloria Stuart wore this necklace at the 1998 Oscars and instantly became a symbol of cinematic glamor.
4. La Peregrina Pearl Necklace
Weight: 55.95 carats
Designer: Cartier
Gemstone Discovery: 16th Century
Price: $11.8 Million
The list of most expensive necklaces wouldn’t be complete without this one. The La Peregrina necklace is among the most famous jewelry pieces in history. Valued at $11.8 million, the necklace’s centerpiece is the symmetrical, pear-shaped pearl, the La Peregrina.
The history of this pearl dates back to the 16th Century when someone discovered it in the Gulf of Panama and gave it to King Philip II of Spain. He then gifted it as an engagement present to Mary I of England. After Europeans passed the pearl through many hands for centuries, Richard Burton purchased it in 1969 as a Valentine’s gift for Elizabeth Taylor. She had it redesigned by Cartier using rubies and diamonds, creating a blend of vintage charm and modern craftsmanship.
5. Blue Belle of Asia
Weight: 392.52 carats
Auction House: Cartier
Gemstone Discovery: 1926
Price: $17.56 Million
Weighing over 390 carats, this Sri Lankan sapphire pendant necklace is one of the largest sapphires ever auctioned. Someone discovered this 392.52-carat cushion-cut sapphire in Sri Lanka in 1926. Macan Markar initially owned it and sold it to Lord Nuffield before it mysteriously vanished for decades. In 2014, it resurfaced at Christie’s Geneva and sold for $17.56 million to an anonymous buyer. Given its fascinating history and peacock blue color, it’s one of the world’s rarest and most expensive necklaces.
6. Hutton-Mdivani Jadeite Necklace
Weight: 104.51 carats
Designer: Cartier
Gemstone Discovery: Unknown (18th Century- Suspected)
Price: $27.6 Million
The Hutton-Mdivani Jadeite Necklace became one of the most expensive necklaces ever sold, fetching over $27.6 million at auction. American heiress Barbara Hutton once owned it; her father gave it to her as a wedding gift in 1933. The Art Deco piece features 27 large, vividly emerald-green jadeite beads known for their exceptional translucency and color. Its high value stems from the rare quality of the jadeite and its rich connection to the Hutton family legacy.
At that time, the necklace featured a clasp designed by Cartier, who adorned it with a single navette-cut diamond. The Cartier Collection features over 1,300 pieces showcasing the renowned jeweler’s 160-year legacy. Among the highlights are yellow diamond earrings and a tiger-motif brooch once owned by Barbara Hutton.
7. Burmese Ruby Necklace
Weight: 87.78 carats
Auction House: Christie’s
Gemstone Discovery: N/A
Price: $6.4 Million
The Etcetera Burmese Ruby Necklace was sold for $6.4 million at Christie’s in Hong Kong in 2013. It features 48 untreated Burmese rubies, famous for their rich “pigeon blood” red color, set in an 18k white gold design with pear-shaped diamonds. Due to their origin from Burmas’s Mogok and Mong Hsu regions, the necklace is known for its clarity and natural purity. The Burmese Ruby Necklace is considered an artistic masterpiece for its exceptional gem matching without heat treatments. Known for its beauty and origin, the Burmese Ruby is one of the most expensive necklaces.
8. Christie’s Diamond Pendant Necklace
Weight: 52.8 carats
Auction House: Christie’s
Gemstone Discovery: N/A
Price: $4.8 Million
Sold at $4.8 million at Christie’s in 2001, this diamond pendant necklace is one of the most expensive necklaces in the world. The centerpiece is a stunning pear-shaped diamond weighing 50.52 carats, suspended above a smaller round diamond of 2.28 carats. Set in platinum, the piece exudes elegance and luxury. A similar version features a 50.52-carat D-color, flawless Type IIa diamond, one of the rarest and purest known for exceptional clarity. These diamonds, found in regions like Golconda, India, are prized for their brilliance. The necklace’s craftsmanship and rare stones make it a symbol of beauty and elite status.
Conclusion
Jewelry has always meant more than metal and stone. There’s something more behind these masterpieces: centuries of royal heritage, precise craftsmanship, and the historical stories for each of these rare gems. Each of the most expensive necklaces describes prestige and artistry in proper form.
