Emerald is a green-hued gemstone. It is the birthstone for May, and it is also believed to be capable of granting its wearer success and good luck.
The majority of emeralds are oval, and they have six-sided pyramids on their crowns. The type of cut used in an emerald’s design determines the stone’s value. There are several emerald cuts: step cut, table cut, and brilliant cut.
Emeralds are the rarest and most precious of all coloured gems. It’s said that Cleopatra herself owned a stunning emerald collection. So, it only makes sense that some pieces are worth more than your car or even your house.
The most expensive Emerald stone jewellery will be set with a large number of gems and intricate in design. This makes it appear more opulent than other pieces made from similar materials.
Here are some of the most expensive and exclusive pieces of emerald jewellery in the world:
The Taj Mahal Emerald Brooch
In June 2019, Cartier sold the coveted Taj Mahal emerald brooch from the Al Thani collection for a staggering amount of $1,815,000. It features a stone extracted from Columbia and weighed 141.13 carats. The best thing about this jewel was that the stone was completely untreated and came from authentic Mughal roots.
The Vladimir Tiara
The tiara smuggled from Russia and sold to Queen Mary was initially commissioned by Romanov Grand Duchess Vladimir. It was kept secret and protected from intruders in the St.
Petersburg Palace during the Russian revolution. Currently, it is possessed by Queen Elizabeth II and displayed at Buckingham Palace.
The Stotesbury Ring
The Stotesbury Emerald is a unique, perfectly cut emerald gemstone and diamond necklace in the world. It was sold for $1 million from Sotheby’s auction in New York in 2017.
Weighing 34 carats, Stotesbury Emerald has been shown at different auctions and exhibitions worldwide. It has become one of the most famous emeralds globally and won many awards for its clarity, colour, and perfection during these exhibitions.
The Rockefeller Emerald Ring
The most expensive piece of emerald jewellery in the world is named after its original owner, the famous American businessman and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller.
This gemstone was cut from the 18.4 carat rough stone. It is one of the largest and finest examples of colourless emeralds cut in the modern style. The jewel was purchased by Harry Winston in 2017 from an auction by Christie’s for $305,550 per carat.
The Afghan Emerald Ring
The Afghan Ring is a 10.11-carat stone in a platinum setting. It is set with a cushion-cut emerald, of which it was surrounded entirely while at auction. It was sold by Christie’s in 2015 for $2.25 million. The stone is exceptionally high-quality and found in the Panjshir mines in Afghanistan.
Elizabeth Taylor’s Emerald Brooch
During the filming of the famous blockbuster Cleopatra in Rome, Richard Burton purchased this exemplary jewel for his then-fiancée Elizabeth Taylor from Bulgari. It was a wedding gift that the actress wore at her wedding in 1964. It is a stunning brooch featuring a 23.46-carat emerald surrounded by diamonds.
The brooch was sold by Christie’s at an auction in 2011 under the Elizabeth Tailor collection: The Legendary Jewels Sale in New York for $6.6 million.
The Emerald Necklace of Catherine the Great
In 1874, Tsar Alexander II gifted a necklace from the Russian imperial collection to his daughter-in-law, Grand Duchess Vladimir, on her wedding to the Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich.
The jewel was passed on to the Grand Duke Boris in 1920 and became a part of several connoisseurs’ collections until it was sold by Christie’s at an auction in 2019. The necklace fetched a price of $4.5 million for its impressive emerald stone weighing 75.61 carats.
The Grand Muzos Earrings
The earrings feature the priciest emeralds mined from Muzo, Chivor, and Coscuez mines the Colombian Andes. They carry emeralds weighing 23.34 carats with a rich and homogeneous green hue. Christie’s first exhibited the pair for $4.2 million in 2012 and sold for $4.5 million in 2019.
The Flagler Emerald Pendant
Owned by Mary Lily Kenan Flagler, this extraordinary stone pendant was one of the most expensive emerald jewelleries sold so far. The emerald in this pendant weighs 35.02 carats with Colombian origins. It was sold in 2015 in an auction by Sotheby’s for $2.8 million.
The Patino Necklace
This exceptional jewel was crafted by Cartier in 1937 and owned by Simon Iturri Patino, one of the wealthiest people in the world. It features high-quality Colombian emeralds weighing around 100 carats and is surrounded by diamonds weighing 60 carats. It was sold in November 2013 in Geneva by Christie’s at CHF 9,125,000.
Art Deco Emerald Brooch by Cartier
When Jacques Cartier travelled to India in the 20th century, he purchased some of the finest gemstones and carved them into stunning Art Deco jewels. This brooch is a fine example of the same craftsmanship.
It was presented by Christie’s at different exhibitions at the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Grand Palais, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art before it was sold in June 2019 for $1.45 million.
When owning valuable pieces like the most expensive emerald jewelry in the world, securing them becomes a top priority. One effective solution is using a fireking fireproof safe. These safes provide exceptional protection against both theft and fire, ensuring your precious jewelry remains secure and intact.
However, you can still own an emerald gemstone at affordable prices to enjoy its beauty and magnificent charm. The stone also bestows many astrological benefits to its wearer if you buy an original one from a trusted seller.
Choose stores like GemPundit that offer their gemstones with a free lab certificate for authentic emeralds free from any impurity or lab treatments. Each of these stones is handpicked from the best mines and presented with detailed catalogues for the buyers.
