The most expensive necklace ever sold at auction that we could document is the Hutton-Mdivani jadeite necklace, which fetched HK$214 million (about $27.4 million) at Sotheby’s Hong Kong in 2014. The most expensive necklace by valuation is a different story: Mouawad’s L’Incomparable diamond necklace, which Guinness World Records named the most valuable necklace at $55 million, though it has not sold at that figure. We rank real auction results first and keep valuations separate. The newest big result is a jadeite necklace at Christie’s Hong Kong in spring 2026.
| Rank | Necklace | Price | Sold at |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hutton-Mdivani jadeite necklace | HK$214 million (about $27.4 million) | Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 2014 |
| 2 | “Peerless Lustre” jadeite necklace | HK$200.2 million (about $25.5 million) | Christie’s Hong Kong, spring 2026 |
| 3 | Kashmir sapphire necklace, 16 sapphires | More than $16.1 million | Christie’s Hong Kong, November 2025 |
| 4 | Four-strand natural coloured pearl necklace | Just over $5 million | Christie’s New York, April 2016 |
| Valued | Mouawad L’Incomparable diamond necklace | $55 million (valuation, not a sale) | Guinness World Records |
1. Hutton-Mdivani jadeite necklace: HK$214 million
The necklace was made from jadeite beads and is named for Hutton and Mdivani, its early owners. It sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong in 2014 for HK$214 million, reported as about $27.4 million, and is now said to be owned by Cartier.
The number includes the buyer’s premium as reported, and we treat it as the all-in price.
2. “Peerless Lustre” jadeite necklace: HK$200.2 million
In spring 2026, Christie’s Hong Kong sold a natural jadeite bead necklace of 61 beads, 8.8 mm to 13.7 mm, with a large jadeite cabochon, coloured diamonds and gold inlays. After several rounds of bidding it reached HK$200.2 million, about $25.5 million.
It was reported as the top transaction at Asian spring auctions and the priciest jadeite jewel in over a decade. The buyer was not named. Before it, only two jadeite necklaces had passed HK$100 million: a 2012 sale at HK$106 million and the Mdivani piece.
3. Kashmir sapphire necklace: more than $16.1 million
At Christie’s Hong Kong in November 2025, a necklace of 16 Kashmir sapphires, about 104.61 carats of sapphire, sold for more than $16.1 million. It set a world auction record for a Kashmir sapphire necklace.
Reports give two total weights (104.61 and 121.81 carats), most likely because one includes the diamonds. We use the lower figure for the sapphires.
4. Four-strand natural coloured pearl necklace: just over $5 million
This Christie’s New York lot, sold in April 2016, had pearls from 4.90 mm to 12.65 mm. It went to a private buyer from Asia and set a world auction record for a natural coloured pearl necklace. It was the second-highest lot of the sale, behind a purplish-pink diamond.
L’Incomparable: the $55 million valuation
Mouawad’s necklace is built around the 407.48-carat Incomparable diamond, a brownish-yellow shield step-cut stone that is described as the largest internally flawless diamond. The setting is 18-carat rose gold with 229.52 carats of other diamonds hanging around it.
The rough stone was reportedly found in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1980 in a rubble pile, weighing 890 carats before cutting, and shown to the public in 1984. Guinness lists the necklace as the most valuable at $55 million. That is a valuation, not a sale, so it stays out of the ranking.
Records set in 2025 and 2026
The Christie’s Hong Kong Kashmir sapphire necklace in November 2025 and the Peerless Lustre jadeite in spring 2026 are the newest big results. The jadeite one is the second-highest necklace price we found.
What drives necklace prices
- Asian demand for imperial-quality jadeite pushes it past diamonds.
- Provenance: a famous owner adds more than extra stones.
- Single-stone rarity: Kashmir sapphire and internally flawless diamonds are limited by nature.
- Valuation vs sale: the largest figures are insurance values, not paid prices.
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What is the most expensive necklace ever sold?
The Hutton-Mdivani jadeite necklace at HK$214 million (about $27.4 million), Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 2014.
What is the most valuable necklace in the world?
Mouawad’s L’Incomparable diamond necklace, valued at $55 million per Guinness World Records, though not sold at that price.
What is the latest record necklace sale?
A jadeite necklace at Christie’s Hong Kong in spring 2026 for HK$200.2 million, about $25.5 million.
What is L’Incomparable made of?
An 18-carat rose gold chain around a 407.48-carat diamond with 229.52 carats of smaller diamonds.
Who owns the Mdivani necklace?
It is reported to be owned by Cartier.
Are valuations and sales the same?
No. Valuations are estimates for insurance or publicity, and sales are prices that bidders paid.
How we put this list together
Necklaces are ranked by verified auction sale price, with valuations separated, using auction results compiled in an internal valuation model. Prices are approximate and change over time.
Keep reading
- Who actually owns all the gold: the metal behind the jewels
- 7 expensive habits people call normal: the smaller ways money leaks
Last updated: October 2026.
