A rare 37-carat emerald previously owned by the Aga Khan has shattered records, selling for nearly $9 million at a Christie’s auction in Geneva on Tuesday. This sale has made the emerald the world’s most expensive green stone, surpassing the previous record held by a piece of jewelry crafted by the renowned Italian luxury brand, Bulgari.
The emerald, originally set in a brooch by Cartier in 1960, was commissioned by Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan for British socialite Nina Dyer. The brooch, which can also be worn as a pendant, features 20 marquise-shaped diamonds and a combination of platinum and 18k yellow gold. After Dyer auctioned off the emerald in 1969 to raise funds for animal welfare, it passed through several hands, including jewelers Van Cleef & Arpels and Harry Winston, the famous “King of Diamonds.”
Max Fawcett, Christie’s Head of Jewellery for EMEA, described the emerald as a rare find. “Emeralds are hot right now, and this one ticks all the boxes,” he said. “We might see an emerald of this quality come up for sale once every five or six years.”
The previous record for an emerald was set at $6.5 million during an auction of Elizabeth Taylor’s jewelry collection.
