The sale of expensive jewelry generates headlines across the globe. Diamond lovers and appreciators of artistic pieces wait with baited breath to see what these unique jewels will earn when offered up at the world’s most prestigious auction houses.
The Onyx Panther Bracelet, designed by Cartier, is among the world’s priciest pieces. The bracelet was auctioned by Sotheby’s in 2010 for a whopping $7 million due to its exquisite design and royal lineage.
The luxurious piece is a symbol of the forbidden love shared between King Edward VIII of England and his mistress, Wallis Simpson, an American Socialite. Since Simpson was a divorcee, their relationship was frowned upon by the Royal Family and British Government. However, the King was so enamored with Simpson that he announced a royal abdication in December 1936 in order to marry her. Following the abdication, Edward was given the title His Royal Highness the Duke of Windsor by his brother George VI. When Edward married Wallis the following year, she was crowned the Duchess of Windsor.
The Duchess of Windsor received the bracelet as a gift from her husband in 1952. The Onyx Panther Bracelet has a total width of 6.5-inches and a total length of 7.7-inches. The panther’s body is composed of pave-set brilliant and single-cut diamonds, calibre-cut onyx and platinum, while its illustrious eyes are made from marquise-shaped emeralds.
The story of Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson was chronicled in the 2011 film, “W.E.” directed by Madonna.
The Sun Drop Diamond is arguably the world’s most illustrious yellow diamond. Originally discovered in South Africa in 2010, the 110.03-carat stone was graded Fancy Vivid Yellow by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). To date, Fancy Vivid Yellow is the highest-color grading ever given to a yellow diamond. Since its discovery, the diamond has been exhibited across the globe, including an extended stay at London’s Natural History Museum. In November 2011, the Sun Drop Diamond fetched $10.9 million at a Sotheby’s auction in Geneva, Switzerland.