The World’s 10 Most Expensive Necklaces

Necklaces have been around for thousands of years, as evidenced by many archaeological artifacts that date way back before prehistoric writing was even invented. There is no doubt that necklaces are integral part of the human history.

Some were fashioned from raw materials to drive away evil spirits and keep maladies at bay. Others were crafted to become a symbol of wealth and power. A few were made to signify a person’s status in politics and society. Still, most necklaces are meant to enhance one’s beauty and as tokens of a person’s love and affection.

Whatever the reason, necklaces have been present in our culture and in the civilizations before us. Stemming from that line of thought, necklaces will remain a strong trend long after we are gone. Most necklaces do not become historically significant and spend their days either adorning the necks of their owners or hidden in the jewelry box and passed down from generation to generation. Here are the 10 most extravagant necklaces inhHistory and what made them special among the rest.

#10 The “Marie Antoinette” Necklace: $3.7 Million

Named after the famous Marie Antoinette, Queen of France, this necklace represents the former Monarch’s preference for a lavish lifestyle only affordable by those of royal lineage. Crafted by De Beers, the Marie Antoinette necklace has two yellow diamonds weighing 7.06 and 5.24 carats respectively and 1.84 carat pink diamond vertically lined in the center. The three colored stones are accentuated by a total of 181.1 karat of small diamonds set in platinum. The main diamond, which weighs 8.05 karats, acts like an anchor and pulls the chokers down straight and fully emphasizing the overall shape and style of the necklace.

#9 Christie’s Diamond Pendant: $4.8 Million

Sold at an auction back in 2001, this Diamond Pendant Necklace by Christie’s features a large and attractive pear-shaped diamond linked to a smaller round diamond. The overall look is completed by a simple chain made of white gold. The setup emphasizes the significant size of the pear diamond, which weighs a whopping 47.49 carats

#8 The “Red Scarlet”: $5.1 Million

Crafted by the world-renowned jewelsmith James W. Currens, the Red Scarlet necklace was sold for $5.1 million in an auction held in November of 2012. This magnificent creation parades 26 Pigeon Blood Burmese rubies of varying weight (1.27 to 5.38 carats), with each ruby highlighted by a cluster of white marquise and pear-shaped diamonds. The placement of rubies and diamonds creates a floral effect which makes the necklace look like a lei of flowers. The stones are set in precious platinum and 18k white gold.

#7 The “Mrs. Winston”: $5.8 Million

Worn by the beautiful Jessica Alba during the 2013 Golden Globes Awarding Ceremony, the elegant “Mrs. Winston” cascading diamond necklace contains a total of 187.5 carats high grade white diamonds, mostly pears, streaming down from a diamond band and into the middle of the piece. Three of the largest diamonds are placed in the bottom, which adds weight to the necklace and further highlights the piece’s tapered look

#6 Etcetera’s Burmese Ruby Necklace: $6.4 Million

Sold for $6.4 million at an auction held at Christie’s Hong Kong back in November 2013, the Etcetera Burmese Ruby necklace became the most expensive ruby-based necklace of all time. Looking more like a lace collar, this stunning piece contains a combined weight of 87.78 carats made of Burmese rubies and white pear and oval diamonds. Each ruby is connected to a wave of diamonds, with six pear shape diamonds hanging from the edge of the wave for an added drip effect.

#5 Christie’s Diamond Necklace: $8.14 Million

52 round diamonds weighing a total of 104.84 carats comprise this elegant piece. Each stone is guaranteed by Christie’s to be of the highest quality and clarity. The all-diamond setup of this necklace delivers an intense sparkle and fire only a few necklaces can rival. Sold for $8.14 million back in November 2013, the necklace was instrumental to one of Christie’s biggest auctions ever. The total numbers raked by the said auction was registered at $111.3 million.

#4 Leviev’s Vivid Yellow Diamond Pendant: $10 Million

A beautiful 77.12 carat vivid yellow diamond accentuated by a string of white diamonds, this creation from the house of Israeli diamond tycoon Lev Leviev is now up for grabs. The asking price is set at $10 million but many say the price could go up as many are expected to vie for the necklace. Leviev himself found the rough stone in one of his mines and turned it into one of the world’s largest asscher cut diamonds.

#3 The “Heart of the Kingdom”: $14 Million

Designed by Garrard and Company, this piece consists of 155 carats of round and pear-shaped white diamonds placed together in a band, surrounding one of the biggest Burmese rubies ever found.  Sitting at the center of the piece is the heart-shaped Burmese ruby, which weighs 40.63 carats. But what makes the said Burmese ruby more special is its color of deep blood pigeon red. Plus, the necklace can also be worn as a tiara, which adds to its heavy price tag.

#2 The “Heart of the Ocean”: $20 Million

Rose only wore this piece when Jack drew a sketch of her in the movie Titanic. The necklace is well known for its heart-shaped blue diamond that acts a pendant, bounded by white diamonds on the edges and hangs from a string of white diamonds. The movie sparked the interest of many elite jewellers such as Asprey & Garrard and Harry Winston and prompted them to create their own versions of the “Heart of The Ocean.” Asprey and Garrard’s creation sold for $2.2 million at auction by Sotheby’s. It was Winston’s version that raked in $20 million.

#1 The “Incomparable” Diamond Necklace: $55 Million

The “Incomparable” gets most of its worth from its pendant stone, the internally flawless brownish-yellow diamond weighing 407.48 carats. The pendant is accented by 91 white diamonds and set in rose gold. The total weight of this stunning jewelry is 637 carats. From an aesthetic standpoint, the “Incomparable” looks like a vine with the main stone hanging from the stem. Irregular and asymmetrical, many value the “Incomparable” because of its exotic design and interesting back story. It has been said that the original stone has been found by a poor girl more than three decades ago in Congo, Africa. The stone was soon displayed in museums, including the Smithsonian, before it was eventually cut.