Jeweled Crowns: The World's 10 Most Expensive Legendary Diamonds and Gemstones
Jeweled Crowns: The World's 10 Most Expensive Legendary Diamonds and Gemstones
Crowns adorned with rare gemstones have been passed down through the royal bloodlines of various nations, reflecting the complex spectrum of power, faith, and art.
Here are the 10 most historically significant and luxurious legendary crowns in the world, each carrying the weight of power, art, and history:
Imperial Crown of Russia (Coronation Crown of Catherine the Great)
Gem Inlays: 4,936 diamonds (total weight 2,858 carats), with a 398.72-carat red velvet-colored spinel (once mistaken for a ruby) set at the top.
Historical Significance: Created for Catherine the Great's coronation in 1762, weighing 4.08 kilograms. Even the last Tsar, Nicholas II, suffered from migraines due to its weight when he wore it.
Current Location: Hermitage Museum (Winter Palace) in Russia, featured on the top of Russia's national emblem.CHAUMET Emerald and Diamond Crown
Core Treasures: 11 pear-shaped Colombian emeralds (total weight over 500 carats) set in a platinum and diamond base.
Legendary Ownership: Once belonging to Empress Eugénie, wife of Napoleon III, it was later customized in 1900 by Count von Donnersmarck of Germany for his wife.
Record-Breaking Price: Sold for 11.28 million Swiss francs (approximately 83.34 million RMB) at a Geneva auction in 2011, setting a record for emerald jewelry auctions.George IV State Diadem (United Kingdom)
Design Symbolism: 1,333 diamonds forming motifs of roses (England), thistles (Scotland), and shamrocks (Ireland), accompanied by 169 pearls.
Royal Heritage: Made for George IV's coronation in 1820, it is reserved exclusively for British queens and queens consort. Queen Elizabeth II often wore it for portrait sittings.Belgian Nine Provinces Crown
Political Metaphor: 11 main diamonds representing the central government, nine provinces, and the colony of the Congo (added in 1926).
Historical Witness: Worn at the coronations of four Belgian queens, it symbolizes modern monarchy with its platinum and diamond structure.Imperial State Crown (United Kingdom)
Gem Collection: 2,868 diamonds, 273 pearls, 17 sapphires, including the 317.4-carat Cullinan II diamond and the 170-carat "Black Prince's Ruby."
Ceremonial Role: Used only for coronations and the State Opening of Parliament, it is housed in the Tower of London, embodying a thousand years of royal authority.Palatine Crown (The Oldest Surviving Crown in the UK)
Origin: Brought to England in 1370 by Queen Anne of Bohemia, it features a gold base inlaid with sapphires, rubies, and emeralds.
Value: A living fossil of medieval European jewelry craftsmanship, it witnesses the marital history between the English and continental royal families.Pearl and Diamond Crown (Russia)
Luxurious Configuration: Nearly 2,000 diamonds and over 200 pearls, originally a dowry from Tsar Alexander II to his daughter Maria.
Current Location: Moscow Kremlin Armoury, symbolizing the dowry traditions of the Romanov dynasty.Pearl Tears Crown (United Kingdom)
Tragic Symbol: Designed with diamonds and teardrop-shaped pearls, it gained fame due to Princess Diana's wear and its association with her unhappy marriage.
Background: Commissioned by Queen Mary in 1914, it features detachable gems and is now part of the Cambridge公爵家族 collection.Maria's Crown (Russia)
Unique Status: A dowry gift from Alexander II to his daughter, it is small in size but exquisitely inlaid, with a ban on leaving Danish borders.
Rarity: A private royal collection with no market circulation records, truly "priceless and unavailable for purchase."Württemberg Pearl Crown of the Netherlands
Royal Privilege: Worn exclusively by the Queen of the Netherlands and never lent out, it is set with large natural pearls and step-cut diamonds in platinum.
Symbolism: The ultimate symbol of Dutch royal sovereignty, embodying the ancient tradition of "the monarch as the state."
The essence of a crown is a "flowing sculpture of power": from the diamond cascades of Catherine the Great to the political coding of Belgium's Nine Provinces, these crowns use gemstones as words to write epics of colonization, love, and revolution.
Their value far exceeds their materials—each crown is inlaid with an average of over 2,000 gemstones, yet becomes a priceless soul due to its historical narrative.