The allure of luxury jewellery is timeless, captivating those who appreciate the finest craftsmanship and rarest gems. Among the pantheon of high-end adornments, earrings hold a special place, often becoming the centerpiece of awe-inspiring collections and fetching staggering prices at auctions. This article explores the five most expensive earrings ever sold, each a masterpiece of jeweller’s art and symbols of opulent luxury.
Named after the famous diamond collector Sir Philip Oppenheimer, the Oppenheimer Blue earrings are a marvel of the jewellery world. These earrings feature two large blue diamonds, each weighing over 14 carats, making them some of the largest blue diamonds to ever grace the auction block. The intense blue hue, paired with an exceptional clarity, makes these earrings not only rare but also a collector’s dream.
The diamonds are cut in a classic emerald style that amplifies their natural brilliance and colour. Last auctioned at Christie’s for a record-breaking sum, the Oppenheimer Blue earrings underscore the enduring allure of coloured diamonds in the luxury market.
The Zoé Diamond earrings are named after the daughter of their last private owner and are renowned for their striking beauty and rarity. These earrings boast a pear-shaped, vivid blue diamond, each weighing approximately 10 carats. Their exceptional clarity and vibrant colour classify them among the world’s most sought-after gems.
The earrings’ design is simple yet elegant, allowing the extraordinary diamonds to stand out as the focal point. The sale of the Zoé Diamond earrings set a new standard for blue diamond valuations, reflecting their unmatched allure and rarity in the high-end jewellery market.
Named after the daughter of their purchaser, a Hong Kong billionaire, The Blue Moon of Josephine earrings are a testament to modern cutting and setting techniques. These earrings feature two blue diamonds, totaling 12 carats, known for their flawless clarity and mesmerizing deep blue colour that mirrors the night sky.
The Blue Moon diamonds were discovered in South Africa and are celebrated for their nearly perfect composition and extraordinary visual appeal, making them among the most expensive and coveted earrings in the world.
The Millennium Blue earrings are famed for their historical significance and exceptional beauty. Extracted over the course of several years from a mine in South Africa, the diamonds were cut into a matching pair of brilliant rounds, each weighing over 10 carats.
These earrings were part of a limited collection that celebrated the dawn of the new millennium, symbolizing both a technological achievement in diamond cutting and the timeless allure of blue diamonds.
The CTF Pink Star earrings are possibly the most extraordinary pink diamonds in the world. Each earring holds a pink diamond over 12 carats, with a colour and clarity that are nearly impossible to find. These earrings derive their name from the original larger stone, which was divided and cut into two flawless pieces.
Their last appearance at auction shattered all previous records for pink diamonds, highlighting the extreme rarity and high demand for such unique and strikingly beautiful gems.
These five pairs of earrings not only represent the pinnacle of jewellery craftsmanship but also encapsulate the stories of their discovery, creation, and ultimate transformation into symbols of luxury. Each pair offers a unique glimpse into the rarefied world of high-end jewellery, where beauty and extravagance converge to create wearable art that endures across generations.