15 Most Expensive Rings In The World
As the saying goes, diamonds are a girl's best friend, but when it comes to truly unique and massive diamonds, it seems like everyone wants to collect them. The world of jewelry auctions has certainly seen more than its fair share of nearly unbelievable diamonds and rings that often fetch just as unbelievable prices.
While some are moving away from diamonds as engagement rings and gifts for fear of not knowing when, where, and how a diamond was sourced (via NPR), it seems there will always be a dedicate audience for truly luxurious diamonds and diamond rings. As famed jeweler Laurence Graff told Alain Elkann in 2020, there's nothing like giving a diamond as a gift. As he said, "The ultimate gift of love. Remember a diamond is forever."
Many of us might not have $20, $50, or even $71 million to spend on a diamond or a diamond ring, but that doesn't mean that window shopping for them can't be fun. Here are 15 of the most expensive diamonds and diamond rings in the world.
The Pink Star diamond ring sold for $71 million
The world of diamond auctions collectively held its breath in 2017 when the massive 59.60-carat diamond known as the Pink Star went up for bid in Hong Kong. The diamond ended up fetching $71.2 million at the auction, setting a new record for just how expensive a diamond can be. Auction house Sotheby's issued a statement following the sale and explained, "Not only was the price more than double the previous record for a fancy vivid pink diamond, but it was also a new record for any work ever sold at auction in Asia" (via NPR).
The diamond has an impressive resume. Sotheby's official description of the rock noted that it is the "largest Internally Flawless Fancy Vivid Pink diamond that the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) has ever graded" (via NPR), and the BBC shared that the diamond was taken within the first five minutes of bidding. As explained by the Gem Society, flawless diamonds are renowned for the fact that they have absolutely no marks, scratches, or injuries in any way. Internally flawless diamonds are a little different; while they might have "small blemishes on the surface, which can be polished away," they have no inclusions (imperfections that are found in the makeup of the diamond itself).
The Oppenheimer Blue diamond is worth at least $57 million
Before the "Pink Star" broke records in terms of diamond auction sales in 2017, the Oppenheimer Blue diamond was the stuff of legends. In 2016, the 14.6-carat diamond was auctioned at Geneva's Christie's auction house for a cool $57.8 million, which ensured its title as the most expensive diamond ever auctioned at the time (via NBC News).
The diamond was one of the most coveted in the world, and NBC News noted that blue diamonds are thought to be the rarest of all diamonds. This particular diamond was once owned by diamond industry leader Philip Oppenheimer, hence its name. The news organization also noted at the time of the auction that it is exceedingly rare for a blue diamond to be larger than a carat, describing this particular diamond as a "freak of nature."
The diamond was first discovered in South Africa toward the end of the 19th century. Once it made its way to Oppenheimer, he had the rock turned into a ring for his wife, who presumably wore it until her death (via Robb Report).
The Graff Pink diamond was once owned by Harry Winston
A massive 24.78-carat diamond once owned by Harry Winston was auctioned off by Sotheby's Geneva in 2010 for $46.2 million (via Robb Report). The diamond, which came to be known as the Graff Pink diamond after it was sold to diamond dealer Lawrence Graff, is a fancy, intense-pink rock mounted on a ring with two supporting diamonds on either side of it.
Graff began his diamond enterprise in 1960 and now owns more than 50 stores around the world. In an interview with Alain Elkann, Graff commented on the idea that diamonds are like a currency of their own for the wealthy. He agreed with the sentiment, explaining, "Without doubt a store of wealth, wealthy people throughout the ages always collected treasure in good times and bad."
It's unclear what, if anything, Graff did with the diamond after purchasing it from the auction house in 2010. He told Alain Elkann that it would be impossible for him to pick one dream diamond to own and that "I have handled the best stones in the world and regret selling most of them."
The Cullinan Dream diamond was discovered in 1858
In 2016, the infamous Cullinan Dream diamond hit the auction block at Christie's New York, where it sold for $25.3 million. The 24.18-carat diamond is noted for being almost a full 10 carats larger than the famed Oppenheimer Blue diamond, and the auction was attended by Mark Cullinan, an international jewelry professional and the grandson of Sir Thomas Cullinan, who found the mine from which the diamond came in 1898 (via Forbes).
At the time, the diamond was the largest fancy blue diamond to ever be auctioned. When it comes to diamonds, the term "fancy" is either in relation to the diamond's shape or its color; in this case, fancy indicates that the diamond has a "distinct and opulent" color. Such diamonds are highly prized as they are often exceedingly rare and difficult to locate (via Langerman Diamonds).
The mine, renamed the Cullinan mine after Sir Thomas Cullinan, has spawned some of the most impressive diamonds in the world. These include several diamonds that have all claimed massive prices at auction as well, like the 10-carat "De Beers Millennium Jewel 4" ($31.8 million) and the 12-carat "Blue Moon" ($48.4 million).
The Winston Blue diamond ring is known as the King of Diamods
When it comes to diamond royalty, it's probably not a surprise that famed jewelry expert Henry Winston has owned one that is considered the king of them all. The Winston house acquired the diamond in 2014 and described the rock as a 13.22 carat "flawless fancy vivid blue diamond" that is a "homage to Mr. Winston's brilliant legacy" (via Harry Winston).
Winston paid $23.8 million for the diamond at Christie's Geneva, which, at the time, was a world record for the most paid per carat. The diamond received its name because of its gorgeous color and was sold as part of an auction that was anticipated to bring in $80 million for the storied auction house (via The Jewellery Editor).
The diamond was certified by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), an independent nonprofit that was founded in 1931 and that focuses its efforts on educating others about diamonds and gems. Christie's also noted that the GIA described the diamond as "the largest Flawless, Fancy Vivid Blue, Natural Color, diamond (...) graded as of the date of this letter."
The Perfect Pink diamond ring is a show stopper
The "Perfect Pink" diamond hit the stand at Christie's in Hong Kong in November 2010. The 14.23-carat ring ended up being the big seller for the day, bringing in $23.2 million and becoming the most expensive ring ever sold in Asia at the time. The Jewelry Loupe noted at the time that part of the appeal of the ring in the region might be greater enthusiasm for pink diamonds as a whole in Asia, adding that there was already a precedent set for ultra-popular pink diamonds.
The ring was the lead item for that day's auction at Christie's, and the auction house noted just how the diamond was in a post on its site. As it wrote, " ... only 18 diamonds over 10 carats showing a distinct pure pink color have appeared for sale and not one was graded a Fancy Intense Pink at the time, placing this extraordinary diamond in a class completely of its own."
Pink diamonds were first discovered in India, and as Christie's also points out, most of them show signs of a second color within that gives the diamonds their famous pink hue. That's not the case with this particular diamond, which makes it "exceedingly rare, both commercially and naturally."
The Bulgari Blue Diamond is one of the world's finest
In December 2018, Christie's New York returned to center stage with an incredible diamond. The 8-carat Bulgari Blue diamond ended up fetching a wildly impressive $18.3 million in the auction. Christie's praised the diamond, which was designed by the Italian jewelry masters Bulgari, and made a point to note that it was "among the finest blue diamonds ever to have come to market" (via Forbes). Diamond industry expert JCK assessed the diamond online, writing that the stunning ring is "among the rarest in the world" because "only one in about 10 million possess a color pure enough to qualify as fancy vivid."
Lucia Silvestri has been at Bulgari for over 40 years and, in 2021, was the acting creative director and chief gems buyer for the brand. She told Lampoon Magazine that part of her job includes modernizing the brand for a new audience, which includes people who are more concerned than ever before that the diamonds the company buys are sourced and mined ethically. She explained in the interview that gems such as the Bulgari Blue are especially rare and that "Bulgari has worked to ensure the entire supply chain uses responsibly-sourced precious metals, with proper considerations for ethics and environment."
The Vivid Yellow diamond ring lives up to its name
The world of diamond collectors was stunned in May 2014 when a 100-carat diamond ring was auctioned off for $16.3 million at Sotheby's Geneva. The price tag was the highest in the world for a yellow diamond, and buyers from more than 30 countries were in attendance when the ring was sold. Sotheby's noted that the diamond was one of the largest yellow diamonds of all time and that the stone itself can be removed from the band it's encased in and worn as a brooch or pendant.
The diamond was originally called the Dream Diamond and was renamed the Graff Vivid Yellow when Laurence Graff purchased it while in South Africa. Industry publication Mining.com notes that, at the time of the diamond's discovery, Graff commented, "It was an intense golden yellow and one of the rarest yellow diamonds I had ever seen. I knew the polished stone within would be more than exceptional."
The diamond was verified by the Gemological Institute of America and then cut in New York by Nino Bianco (via Mining.com).
The Sky Blue diamond went up for auction in 2016
In October 2016, Sotheby's debuted the Sky Blue Diamond in London before transporting the incredible 8-carat rock to Switzerland, where it was auctioned off for $17.1 million (via Matthew Erikson Jewelers). David Bennett of Sotheby's praised the ring to The Sun U.K. ahead of the auction and said that it was a "wonderfully clear celestial blue, presented in an extremely elegant square emerald cut."
However, the end result of the auction left some people and publications feeling disappointed. As Matthew Erikson Jewelers notes, while the ultimate price tag of $17.1 million is impressive, some believed that the ring could command an auction price tag as high as $25 million. When compared to other blue diamond rings, the Sky Blue Diamond could even be considered an underperformer.
The ring wasn't the only major piece of jewelry at the auction. Diamond World reported that two pieces with ties to the Russian monarchy, including a diamond necklace said to have been commissioned by Catherine the Great, were also up for bid.
The Princie Diamond sold for $39 million
The Princie Diamond has a history that befits its name, all the way down to boasting its very own royal lineage. As The Collector has noted, the diamond was first discovered in India more than 300 years ago and quickly became a favorite of the royal family of Hyderabad. After centuries, the family decided to auction the ring off at Sotheby's in 1960, and the ring was snatched up by Van Cleef & Arpels for £46,000.
The ring is an absolutely massive 34.65 carats, and many believed it would get an auction price of over $40 million when it was auctioned by Christie's in 2013. The ring ended up fetching $39.3 million, which is still a massive sum — and at the time was the most expensive diamond the auction house had ever sold. The identity of the person who placed the winning bid is a secret, but The Collector wrote that, in the end, the Qatari royal family ended up with the diamond ring in their possession.
The All-Diamond Ring is worth $68 million
If you've ever wondered what a 150-carat diamond ring looks like, the All-Diamond Ring is the one to check out. The ring is made up completely of a diamond; as Glamour explained in 2012, it was carved into the ring shape from a larger stone by jewelers Shawish Geneva.
The ring was the first of its kind when it debuted and was valued at $68 million. In 2011, Shawish Geneva president and CEO Mohamed Shawesh explained to Vogue why he designed and created the ring in the first place. He told the magazine that such a ring is the perfect intersection of fantasy and reality, of art and of style. He explained, "A ring made entirely of a faceted diamond has always seemed like a fantasy, It seemed impossible, so we decided to embark on the adventure of creating it. To create the perfect diamond ring is the epitome of art."
However, making the ring wasn't an easy process. Shawish added that his company had to apply for the copyright for the ring a full year earlier than they anticipated beginning creation. Once things got rolling, the ring had to be tested numerous times as the team had to figure out the best way to laser the design without damaging the original rock (via Vogue).
The 103-carat Light of Africa ring sold for $20 million
Christie's New York auctioned off the impressive 103-carat Light of Africa diamond in June 2022 for a whopping $20 million, which was a full $2 million over the anticipated price. At the time of the sale, Forbes noted that the stone in question was actually cut from a 299.3-carat rough diamond originally dug out of the Cullinan Diamond Mine. The ring was then purchased by Stargems Group in 2021, who noted that the diamond "inspires awe at sight, catching and reflecting light for mesmerizing effect" (via Israeli Diamond).
Bidding for the ring began at $6 million and quickly ratcheted higher and higher until it hit $13 million. At that point, four bidders were left, all calling in via phone to make their bids. It's unclear who ultimately won the diamond or where in the world it currently resides.
The Leonardo da Vinci of diamonds is worth $50 million
In November 2018, a new brand record was set when a ring being called the "Leonardo da Vinci of diamonds" was auctioned off for a massive amount of $50.4 million at Christie's Geneva. The 19-carat ring is truly spectacular. At the time, the head of Christie's in Europe told Agence France Presse, "That is a world record per carat for a pink diamond. I don't think there is anything better."
As Allure noted following the sale, the ring ended up earning $2.6 million per carat and is being referred to as the Pink Legacy. The diamond itself was unearthed in South Africa a century ahead of its 2018 auction and once belonged to the famed Oppenheimer jewelry family. It's unclear who sold the diamond originally, but it was acquired at the auction by the American jewelry brand Henry Winston (via Allure).
The Raj Pink diamond is over 37 carats
In November 2017 the diamond industry was wowed by yet another massively gorgeous and massively pink diamond ring known as the Raj Pink. At the time, the Raj was the world's largest fancy intense pink diamond, and Sotheby's jewelry specialist Brett O'Connor told NBC News that it was certainly something special. As O'Connor put it, "Color diamonds are exponentially rarer than white stones. The stone is ... right up at the very top. It has size, it has brilliance, it has beauty."
Colorful diamonds of this caliber are exceedingly rare and are thought to comprise less than .02% of all the diamonds that the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) assesses and evaluates (via Town & Country). The GIA was particularly enamored of this ring, describing it as "a very bright and ravishing fancy intense pink color." The organization added, "For a diamond to display strong, unmodified pink color like that observed in the Raj Pink is rare, particularly at so considerable a weight."
Christie's Summer Sparkle online auction included a heavy hitter
In August 2021, Christie's introduced the Summer Sparkle diamond auction to the internet, offering a 24.5-carat heart-shaped rock as the most expensive diamond to be auctioned online to date. The online-only auction took place toward the end of the summer in 2021, and people were able to bid on rings and jewelry up until August 18, 2021. As National Jeweler wrote at the time, the Summer Sparkle featured the incredible rock as the centerpiece of the entire auction, and Christie's expected it to sell for somewhere between $1.6 and 2.6 million.
The auction also included a variety of other sparkly delights, including a diamond ring and band from Tiffany and numerous colorful diamond rings (via Christie's). The 24.5-carat ring was described as an "internally flawless, Type IIa heart-shaped diamond pendant" that surely impressed the audience of online bidders and diamond collectors.