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Jewels are such stunning atemporal pieces, and they can really capture the imagination of anyone who sees them – they symbolise wealth, power, and beauty; it’s a heady and exciting combination. It’s no wonder, in that case, that throughout history, some gems have become highly sought after and are very rare. Let’s take a look at some of the rarest jewels ever auctioned – would you spend your hard-earned cash on any of these?
The Pink Star Diamond
The Pink Star Diamond is arguably one of the most stunning jewels in the world, and certainly one of the most gorgeous to ever grace an auction, and you can’t help but look at it when you’re in the same room – it’s got a commanding presence. Weighing in at a staggering 59.60 carats, this flawless pink diamond really is rare.
The Pink Star Diamond was discovered in Africa, and over the years, although it’s been cut and polished numerous times, it still retains its beauty – utterly captivating. When it went under the hammer at a Sotheby’s auction, it sold at just over $71 million and set a new record for being the most expensive gemstone ever sold at auction.
The Oppenheimer Blue Diamond
You’ll have definitely heard about pink diamonds before – they’re rare but not unheard of – but what about blue diamonds? Blue diamonds are actually among the rarest and most sought-after gems in the world, and the Oppenheimer Blue is a prime example of their allure. This diamond is an impressive 14.62 carats, and it’s absolutely breathtaking when you see that it’s a rich, vivid blue colour that just can’t be found anywhere else; it’s absolutely one of a kind.
Its name comes from its former owner, Sir Philip Oppenheimer, and when it went to auction, it sold for over $57 million, which at the time was a world record for a blue diamond.
The Archduke Joseph Diamond
The Archduke Joseph Diamond is what you could easily call a masterpiece – one look at this stunning gem tells you that it’s something very special indeed. It weighs a huge 76.45 carats, and it’s got a clarity that nothing else touches – it’s no wonder it’s such a sought-after and impressive diamond because it’s exceptional.
Once again, this gem was named after its former owner, Archduke Joseph August of Austria, and when it sold at auction, it went for more than $21 million, making it one of the most valuable and rare gems ever sold. Thanks to its huge size, it’s definitely one something you can miss.
Queen Marie Antoinette’s Pearl
Queen Marie Antoinette’s Pearl is a pendant containing a natural pearl (which happens to be very large) and diamonds, so not only is it rare, it’s also stunning and quite different to many of the other rare gems often sold at auction because it is a wearable piece of jewellery, rather than simply the stone itself.
This pearl belonged to Marie Antoinette herself, and although the gem itself is a pricey one, many people wanted to buy it just to say they owned something of the former ill-fated queen of France. In the end, it sold for $36.2 million. It makes you wonder how much your solid gold jewellery might be worth, doesn’t it?
The Winston Pink Legacy Diamond
The Winston Pink Legacy Diamond is known for its gorgeous colour and its decent size of 18.96 carats. As the name suggests, this diamond is deep pink, and it really stands out in a crowd. It was found in South Africa in 1920 and then sold for more than $50 million.
Although most gems are named for their owners, this one is named for the company that paid that very high price, the Harry Winston Company. Originally, it belonged to the Oppenheimer family – the same family mentioned above in relation to their wonderful blue diamond.
The Blue Moon Diamond
There are no prizes for guessing what colour the Blue Moon Diamond is – blue, of course! A lot of people wanted this gem very badly when it came to auction, but the outright winner was Hong Kong billionaire Joseph Lau, who ended up paying a whopping $48.4 million for it when it went under the hammer at Sotherby’s. He bought it for his daughter Josephine, who was just seven then!
Just the day before, Lau had bought a 16.8 carat pink diamond at Christie’s for $28.5 million – again, it was for his daughter, and he named the diamond ‘Sweet Josephine’.