The universe of gemstones is packed with umpteen jaw-dropping marvels that most people have never heard of. From bewitching precious gemstones like natural blue sapphire and fiery and passionate ruby to outrageously alluring aquamarine, sunstone, and fire opals, these are just a few examples of the most stellar and robust gemstones prevailing in the gemstones’ cosmos.
However, there is one striking gemstone that stands apart from the rest i.e. an emerald stone or panna stone. Widely regarded as one of the most magnificent gemstones of all time, an emerald stone is the epitome of sheer grace, timeless beauty, and exemplification of admirable traits like quick decision-making, knowledge, wisdom, character, flawless communication, and intellect. Moreover, some of the most expensive gemstones in the world are natural emeralds and the glittering honor of the most valuable gemstone jewelry in the world.
This blog post comprises the collection of the most expensive emeralds in the world that will enrich your knowledge related to natural pachu stones by leaps and bounds. Let’s get started!
Table of Contents
Most Expensive Emerald Gemstones
The Bahia Emerald
Imagine a giant emerald, the size of a hefty horse, that’s the Bahia Emerald! This whopper, unearthed in Brazil’s Bahia mines in 2001, isn’t just any emerald. It’s a cluster of eight emerald crystals fused together, boasting the biggest single emerald shard ever discovered. With an emerald stone price tag of $400 million (though some say its true value is a mystery), it’s no surprise this gem caused a stir.
The Bahia Emerald’s journey has been more dramatic than a telenovela. Ownership claims sprouted like weeds, with 14 people and even Brazil itself vying for the rock! Lawsuits flew, bankruptcies piled up, and whispers of a curse emerged, fueled by the chaos. Finally, after a decade of wrangling, things settled in 2015. But there’s one last twist: the emerald is locked away in a vault, inaccessible even to its rightful owners. Talk about a guarded treasure!
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Elizabeth Taylor Brooch by Bvlgari
The sale of Elizabeth Taylor’s legendary jewelry collection in December 2011 was a monumental event in the world of luxury gemstones. Among the dazzling pieces that captivated collectors and connoisseurs alike was a breathtaking emerald brooch crafted by the revered house of Bvlgari.
This extraordinary creation featured a mesmerizing 23.46-carat Colombian emerald, a gemstone of exceptional quality and minimal enhancement, surrounded by a halo of twelve exquisite pear-cut diamonds set in platinum. The brooch’s ingenious design allowed it to be worn not only as a sophisticated adornment but also as a pendant on a matching emerald and diamond necklace, showcasing the versatility of its timeless elegance.
The impeccable craftsmanship and rarity of this piece ignited a frenzy among bidders, ultimately setting a record as the most expensive emerald ever sold at auction. It will undoubtedly take a gemstone of truly extraordinary caliber to surpass this emerald’s reign as the pinnacle of luxury and desirability in the world of precious stones.
Weight: 23.46 Carats
Sale: Christie’s, New York, 13th December 2011
Sale Price USD: $6.5 Million
Sale Price GBP: £4.2 Million
The Rockefeller Emerald
The Rockefeller Emerald stands as a testament to unparalleled opulence. While often regarded as the world’s most expensive emerald, it holds a distinct honor as the priciest per-carat gem of its kind globally. This illustrious emerald boasts not only grandeur but also rarity, making it a coveted marvel in the realm of precious stones.
Its exorbitant value of $5.5 million USD is a testament to its unparalleled beauty and flawless clarity. Originating from Colombia, this emerald dazzles with a deep green hue tinged with hints of blue, a combination that sets it apart from its peers. Its exceptional clarity, marked by minimal inclusions, further elevates its allure, rendering it a prized possession among collectors and connoisseurs alike.
Originally acquired by John D. Rockefeller Jr. for his beloved wife, Abby Aldridge Rockefeller, this emerald found its home in a meticulously crafted brooch by the esteemed jeweler Van Cleef & Arpels. Following Abby’s passing, the brooch underwent a transformation, with its components dispersed among her descendants. It was her youngest son who envisioned a new destiny for the largest stone, fashioning it into the iconic ring that continues to captivate admirers to this day.
Weight: 18.04 Carats
Sale: Christie’s, New York, 20th June 2017
Sale Price USD: $5.5 Million
Sale Price GBP: £4.3 Million
Magnificent Emerald and Diamond Ring
In December 2013, something truly special crossed the auction block at Sotheby’s in New York. It wasn’t just a ring, it was a story waiting to be worn. The centerpiece? A 61-carat emerald, a verdant giant cut into a modern square, so big it whispered tales of Colombian mines and whispered promises. This wasn’t a stone with flaws hidden away, the report from the American Gemological Laboratory said it loud and clear: just a touch of enhancement, but this emerald’s beauty was mostly its own. Diamonds surrounded it, marquise and pear cuts sparkling like constellations trapped around this emerald moon. This wasn’t just a ring, it was a legend in the making.
Weight: 61.35 Carats
Sale: Sotheby’s, New York, 11th December 2013
Sale Price USD: $4.6 Million
Sale Price GBP: £2.8 Million
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Zilkha Cartier Emerald Ring
A true testament to impeccable taste and connoisseurship, an emerald and diamond ring from the personal collection of Cecile and Ezra Zilkha, renowned New York philanthropists and patrons of the arts, captivated the auction world in 2020. Sotheby’s hosted “True Connoisseurship: The Collection of Ezra & Cecile Zilkha,” a celebration of the couple’s exquisite acquisitions, where this exceptional piece commanded an astounding $3.6 million, tripling its estimated value.
The ring’s centerpiece is a breathtaking 21.86-carat Colombian square-emerald-cut emerald, a gemstone of unparalleled beauty and rarity. Flanked by brilliant diamonds and elegantly mounted in 18-karat yellow gold, this piece exemplifies the Zilkhas’ commitment to supporting institutions like the Metropolitan Opera and the Hospital for Special Surgery while curating a collection that embodied their refined aesthetic sensibilities.
This emerald and diamond ring stands as a testament to the Zilkhas’ enduring legacy as patrons of the arts and connoisseurs of the finest luxuries, a tangible embodiment of their lifelong pursuit of beauty and their unwavering support for cultural institutions.
Emerald and Diamond Brooch
Behold the pinnacle of extravagance in gemstones! This remarkable piece boasts an astonishing 378.22-carat emerald, complemented by a 40.43-carat yellow diamond and six colorless diamonds totaling over 75 carats. Its record-breaking sale price of $4.3 million eclipsed previous records by a staggering $1.5 million, cementing its status as a marvel of unparalleled luxury in the world of jewelry.
Weight: 378.22 Carats
Sale: Christie’s, Geneva, 14th May 2008
Sale Price USD: $4.3 Million
Sale Price GBP: £2.2 Million
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The Imperial Emerald
Catherine the Great, history’s own emerald magpie, would have swooned for this gem. Originally a hefty 107-carat emerald rectangle, it underwent a royal makeover in 1954 by Cartier. Transformed into a pear-shaped wonder at 75.63 carats, it shed its excess weight like a crown casting off a troublesome courtier. Today, after a final polish in 1971, it sits at a cool 75.61 carats, a testament to both its enduring beauty and the art of refinement.
Weight: 75.61 Carats
Sale: Christie’s, Geneva, 15th May 2019
Sale Price USD: $4.2 Million
Sale Price GBP: £3.3 Million
The Stars Of Colombia
Those Stars of Colombia emerald earrings are truly celestial wonders. Imagine two verdant celestial bodies, each radiating over 20 carats of pure, unadulterated green fire. Their hues are so rich, so intense, you’d think they were forged in the core of an emerald planet. And that mesmerizing clarity? Utterly untouched by human hands. These are emeralds in their primal, Gaia-blessed state.
But what makes them truly cosmic is that they are twins – two perfectly matched spheres that could only have been birthed from the same divine thunderbolt. Finding such an illustrious pair is rarer than spotting a double supernova. No wonder they commanded a king’s ransom of over $4 million when they dazzled at auction. For those showstopping Stars of Colombia, the very heavens seem to have parted and offered up their brightest jealous-green jewels.
Weight: 25.38 & 23.12 Carats
Sale: Christie’s, Hong Kong, 27th November 2011
Sale Price USD: $4.0 Million
Sale Price GBP: £2.5 Million
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The Taj Mahal Emerald
The Taj Mahal Emerald, a masterpiece intricately adorned with depictions of poppy flowers, lotus motifs, and lush foliage reminiscent of the iconic monument itself. Commissioned by the esteemed Mughal Court, this emerald was showcased as a captivating component of Cartier’s Collier Bérénice—an opulent shoulder ornament adorned with pearls, diamonds, and black enamel.
The Collier Bérénice, a pinnacle of Art Deco elegance, symbolizes a golden age where emerald rings held sway in fashion. Its inclusion in an exhibition reserved solely for artistic marvels underscores its status as a true work of art. The Taj Mahal Emerald, with its exquisite craftsmanship and historical significance, fetched a remarkable $1.8 million, standing as a testament to the enduring allure of Art Deco extravagance.
The Stotesbury Emerald
Imagine a 43.4 carat emerald, a verdant gem as captivating as Cleopatra’s gaze. Its journey began nestled in a Cartier necklace, designed for the eccentric Evalyn Walsh McClean to complement her dazzling Star of the East diamond. But fate, or perhaps a shrewd jeweler, had other plans. The emerald found itself back at Cartier, traded in a complex deal for the infamous Hope Diamond, forever entwined with its legendary curse.
Undeterred by whispers of misfortune, socialite Eva Stotesbury, captivated by the emerald’s brilliance, snatched it up from Cartier. Yet, her possession wasn’t meant to be. The gem eventually landed in the hands of the iconic Harry Winston, a man who knew a treasure when he saw one. Winston, with a jeweler’s eye, recrafted the emerald into a ring, a masterpiece fit for a queen (or a wealthy heiress).
Enter May Bonfils Stanton, a collector with a penchant for exquisite gems. The ring, imbued with history and fire, became hers. It graced her finger until 2017, when it re-emerged at auction, finally finding a new home for a cool $1 million. This emerald’s journey, from gracing the neck of an eccentric heiress to a captivating ring on a collector’s finger, is a testament to its enduring allure and the captivating world of high jewelry.
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Pair of Exceptional Emerald and Diamond Earrings
Crowning the list are regal emerald and diamond earrings that tell a story of nature’s uncompromising genius. These verdant Colombian treasures flaunt their vivid hues and sparkling transparency with an air of untamed majesty. Unbowed by human enhancement, their exceptional color, proportions, and pristine clarity arose through the cosmos’ most meticulous alchemy. In the realm of precious gemstones, pieces that boldly declare, “This is how Nature intended,” are truly rare aristocrats.
Angelia Jolie Emerald Earrings
At the 2009 Oscars, an actress graced the red carpet in captivating teardrop emerald earrings that reportedly carried a price tag of $2.5 million. Paired with a chic black gown, these Colombian drop emeralds dazzled onlookers with their sheer elegance. Crafted by renowned American jewelry designer Lorraine Schwartz, whose clientele includes celebrities like Kim Kardashian, Blake Lively, and Beyoncé, these earrings weighed an impressive 115 carats.
What made these earrings truly remarkable was not just their size and value, but also their rarity. Natural Colombian emeralds of such size and quality, with only minor clarity enhancements, are increasingly challenging to find. Their presence on the red carpet not only added a touch of glamour but also highlighted the enduring appeal of these exquisite gemstones in the world of high fashion.
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