• Fashion

The World’s Most Lavish Diamond Necklaces

Brilliant, flawless, and some of the most expensive pieces to have ever been created.
  • ByRadhika Bhalla

Maharani Sita Devi of Baroda seen wearing the Star of the South Diamond Necklace.

What do some of the world’s most expensive diamond necklaces have in common? The Indian subcontinent. For the great nation has played an important role in the stories of these bijoux, whose beauty has travelled across the world…their diamonds have either been mined in regions like the Godavari delta in present-day Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, or purchased and commissioned by maharajas to create the most spectacular settings till date.

The Word. presents a curation of some of the most expensive diamond necklaces in the world, which have fascinated collectors and aficionados for centuries. In this list, the value of many of the pieces have been recalibrated to current estimates. And while some pieces have been completely dismantled since their days of glory, others continue to captivate through their occasional sightings at important events.

This selection of diamond necklaces shine bright as ever, with histories that are enthralling, dark, and sheer brilliant.

THE CORONATION NECKLACE

49
Queen Consort Camilla Parker Bowles wore the necklace on May 6, 2023 at the coronation of King Charles.

Originally known as the Lahore Diamond Necklace, the Coronation Necklace been worn by every queen of England since 1858 for the coronation. The piece was originally created in Queen Victoria, with 26 diamonds in all. The queen particularly loved this piece, and even wore it for her Diamond Jubilee that took place on June 1897 to mark 60 years of her accession to the throne.

The main pendant, weighing 22.8 carats, was found originally in the Toshakana treasure of the Lahore Fort, when the British invaded it in 1849. In addition to this necklace, a pair of earrings were also created to complete the set—these comprised of cushion-cut diamond collet studs and two large pear-shaped pendants. 

A controversial piece, this necklace was recently worn by Queen Consort Camilla at King Charles’s coronation, held on May 6, 2023.

THE PATIALA NECKLACE

51
Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala wearing the magnificent necklace, that featured the famous De Beers yellow diamond—the seventh biggest at the time.

Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala commissioned Cartier for this masterpiece in 1925 with exquisite diamonds from his own collection. This magnificent piece included the famous De Beers yellow diamond, which was the seventh biggest in the world at the time, over 3,000 diamonds, and rubies.

This grand haar comprised five chains or ladi, and a neck collar. However, in 1948, this neccklace vanished from the royal treasury in Patiala. It was only in 1982 that the De Beers yellow diamond resurfaced, and in 1998,, a part of the necklace was discovered in a second-hand store in London.

Cartier recreated the choker design of this necklace, and in 2022, it was worn by YouTuber Emma Chamberlain to the Met Gala.

THE HOPE DIAMOND NECKLACE

46
American socialite Evalyn McLean was smitten by the Hope Diamond, which was considered to be cursed.

This large, blue diamond was found in the 17th century in Andhra Pradesh, and sold to King Louis XIV of France in 1668. Stolen in 1792 and re-sized, English banker Thomas Hope bought it, after whom it was named. Finally, Harry Winston bought it from socialite Evalyn McLean, donating it to the Smithsonian Museum, to be on display.

The power of the blue diamond in this necklace is considered to be unparalleled, as it is believed to be cursed. And as any good legend goes, the owners of this necklace met with difficult circumstances, and sometimes, even death.

L’NCOMPARABLE NECKLACE

48
Gifted by philanthropist Nita Ambani to her daughter-in-law Shloka Ambani, this necklace carries
the world's largest internally flawless diamond.

This exceptional necklace was gifted by chairperson and founder of the Reliance Foundation, Nita Ambani to her daughter-in-law Shloka Mehta, when she married Akash Ambani in 2019.

The cascading piece boasts the world’s largest, internally flawless diamond—a brown-yellow diamond of 407.48 carats. The pendant is framed by 91 white diamonds, and the design was created by Lebanese jeweller Mouawad. 

The interesting detail is that the flawless diamond was foudn entirely by chance in the 1980s…by discarded pile of mining rubble by a young girl in the African Congo who was rummaging through a discarded pile of mining rubble.

CARTIER LA PEREGRINA NECKLACE

50
Actor Elizabeth Taylor was gifted the La Peregrina pearl on Valentine's Day by her husband, actor Richard Burton. She later had it set in a diamond necklace.

When actor Elizabeth Taylor found her puppy chewing on her 55-carats pearl, gifted by husband Richard Burton in 1969, she had Cartier set it in a necklace with diamonds and rubies.

The necklace features the world’s most expensive pearl, for the pear-shaped gem is considered to be the most symmetrical natural pearls to be ever found. Discovered in the 16th century, off the coast of Panama, it changed hands until it went up for aucction in 1969…and actor Richard Burton bought it,, for $37,000, as a Valentine’s Day gift for his wife.

A HERITAGE IN BLOOM NECKLACE

47
This necklace is rare as it has been crafted entirely from the same diamond, the Cullinan Heritage.

Created in 2015 by Hong Kong-based jewellery artist, Wallace Chan, this masterpiece is made of 11,551 diamonds, totalling 383.4 carats.

The fascinating part is that the entire necklace has been crafted from the same, impurity-free diamond—the Cullinan Heritage that was originally a 507.55 carat, type IIA diamond. 

CHANEL 55.55 NECKLACE

52
Actor Marion Cotillard wearing the special necklace that featues a D flawless diamond.

To mark 100 years of Chanel No. 5, the Maison created a piece resembling the iconic perfume bottle. For it, a 55.55 carat, D flawless diamond is surrounded by 104 round and 42 baguette diamonds.

Crafted by Patrice Leguéreau, Director of Jewelry Creation at Chanel, the unique piece features a custom cut for the main pendant.

STAR OF THE SOUTH DIAMOND NECKLACE

53
The famous diamond was discovered in Brazil in 1853.

The brilliant Star of the South diamond, or the ‘Limar’ as it is called,  was discovered in Brazil in 1853, which won the female slave her freedom upon finding it. Originally a 254.5-carat diamond, it was cut to 128.48-carats, and purchased by Maharaja Khanderao of Baroda for $4,00,000. Maharani Sita Devi was clicked in 1948 wearing a slightly altered version of the piece.

The diamond was later purchased by Rustomjee Jamsetjee of Mumbai, and further sold to Cartier. The jewellery Maison turned it into a bracelet, and it is now believed to be in the private collection of Sheikha Moza of Qatar.