- Avarna Jain,
Chairperson RPSG Lifestyle Media
Marie Antoinette’s 10-Carat Pink Diamond Can Be Yours For ₹43 Crores
An engagement ring that’s rare, on-trend and has royal history attached to it? Yes, please!
Marie Antoinette's rare 10-carat pink diamond has been redesigned into a beautiful ring by JARGetty Images, Christie's
It’s the era of the pink diamond, as yet another one of the rare coloured natural diamonds has made headlines. This time, it’s Marie Antoinette’s 10-carat pink diamond that is being auctioned by Christie’s.
A part of Christie’s Magnificent Jewels event on June 17, the 10.38 carat kite-shaped diamond is estimated to fetch around $3-5 million (INR 43 crores approx). It dates back to the mid-18th century and is said to be one of the last possessions of the last Queen of France.
The rare pink diamond belonged to Marie Antoinette and has been passed down her family over the years...Getty Images
The massive pink-hued diamond has a fascinating history behind it. According to historians, Marie Antoinette entrusted her jewels, including the pink diamond, to her coiffeur before her failed escape from Paris during the French Revolution. While it’s unclear how the diamond ended up in the hands of the queen’s only surviving daughter, the Duchess Marie-Thérèse d’Angoulême, who passed it down to her niece, Duchess Marie-Thérèse de Chambord. Later, it was acquired by Queen Marie Theresa of Bavaria, who described it as “a pink solitaire diamond from Aunt Chombard”.
It remained in the hands of royals for generations before it was sold in 1996. The current owner sought out Parisian jewellery designer Joel Arthur Rosenthal (JAR) to create a new setting for the pink diamond.
“It has everything you could want in a piece of jewellery," says Rahul Kadakia, Christie’s international head of jewellery. “The stone, likely from the prized Indian region of Golconda, has several shades of soft colours, flashing purple and pink from different angles. And it’s been transformed into a masterpiece by JAR, all while carrying the splendour of royal provenance.”
The pink diamond ring has been redesigned by French jewellery label Joel Arthur RosenthalChristie's
JAR has set the stone atop two layers of pavé diamonds and used a similar setting for the band. The platinum ring is crowned with a fleur-de-lis-inspired arrangement of 17 additional diamonds.
Pink diamond engagement rings are having their moment in the sun. Jeff Bezos proposed to his now-fiancée Lauren Sánchez using a massive 30-carat pink diamond ring in 2023. Celebrities like Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds (and the now-separated Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez) also went with pink diamond engagement rings for their nuptials.
Where we give you a fast-paced look into everything you should wish list when you start to think about marriage. What to buy and how to dress, along with modern mithai and the homegrown fragrance makers to bookmark. Make special note of the feature on alta.
It has everything you need to make your wedding special. From the big comeback of red and pink in bridal wear to how the cool kids are wearing corsets to the celebration, there is only one way to get ready for a wedding —with enjoyment.
This section is a building block, a step to a better life. A place where we have all the answers. Or at least the beginning of a great conversation.
This needs very little description. It has travel with a special focus on incredible India, and a collection of wedding albums, sourced randomly, but collected with abundance because happiness has no limits.
