Jewelry Trends

The Most Expensive Jewelry Brands in the World

Rachel Akmakjian

Author

Rachel Akmakjian

The World’s Most Expensive Jewelry Brands

There’s fine jewelry, and then there’s fine jewelry.

We’re not talking about the pieces you can find at the mall or order online. We’re talking about the most luxurious jewelry that money can buy — worn by celebrities and royalty alike, available by special order and appointment only. This exquisite jewelry features precious stones and precious metals, fine craftsmanship, and elegant designs you can only find when you shop with some of the most expensive jewelry brands in the world.

Need to know more? Here are the most luxurious jewelry brands out there today. Some exclusively cater to the elite, but some offer items within their jewelry collection for us average folk, too. You may just find that you can afford more luxury than you think!

luxurious jewelry

What You Will Learn

The Top Luxury Jewelry Brands

Top Luxury Jewelry Brands

  • Harry Winston

Our list starts with a luxury jewelry brand that most fashion-forward shoppers will already know: Harry Winston. The name is synonymous with exquisite craftsmanship and diamond jewelry.

Founded in the 1930s, Harry Winston notably owned the Hope Diamond for a while — one of the most famous diamonds in existence — before donating it to the Smithsonian Institute for display in a museum.

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  • Cartier

This expensive jewelry brand is likewise well known and a bit more accessible than others on this list, with more affordable, branded items available to high-end shoppers, not just the world’s elite and super-wealthy.

Cartier Jewelry has crafted pieces for its clients since the mid-1800s, making it one of the older brands on our list. Famous clients include the Duchess of Windsor.

  • Tiffany Co

Tiffany & Co. is likely the most famous and well-known expensive jewelry brand. Founded by Charles Lewis Tiffany, the brand’s many storefronts are recognizable by their blue branding. This color is now colloquially referred to as “Tiffany blue.” Tiffany appears in a range of movies and television shows as a marker of luxury.

While Tiffany does, of course, craft costly pieces of jewelry for celebrities and the like, Tiffany is also very accessible and offers lower-priced items for shoppers with smaller budgets. For example, the famous Tiffany engagement ring features a 1.03-carat solitaire diamond in a six-prong setting on a platinum band, starting at $15,900.

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  • Graff Diamonds

A British jewelry company, Graff, or Graff Diamonds, is known for using rare gemstones and fine diamonds. One of the brand’s most famous offerings was the Graff Diamond, a pink diamond that sold for over $46 million.

  • Van Cleef & Arpels

Van Cleef & Arpels, or as it’s sometimes simply referred to, Van Cleef Arpels, was founded around the turn of the century by Alfred Van Cleef and Salomon Arpels. The French brand is known for famous designs, such as those seen in its Alhambra line, which features a four-leaf clover motif.

  • Bvlgari

This Italian luxury brand is known for using colored gemstones and its Serpenti collections, which offer a serpent-like motif. To date, one of its most expensive pieces was the Bvlgari Blue, a platinum ring with a vivid blue diamond that sold for more than $15 million.

  • Chopard

Founded by Louis Ulysse Chopard, this Swiss brand offers luxury watches and fine jewelry. Like Bvlgari, one of Chopard’s most expensive pieces featured a blue diamond; the Chopard Blue Diamond Ring sold for just above $16 million.

The Most Expensive Jewelry Pieces in the World

Beyond the overall most expensive brand of jewelry, what about the most costly individual pieces of jewelry — not high quality gemstones or jewels (even those like the Pink Star or Oppenheimer Blue, technically set in rings but only notable due to a single gemstone), but actual wearable rings, brooches, bracelets, and the like that encompass a high level of design and unique-to-brand qualities?

Here are a few of our favorites from some of the above designers.

  • The Graff Diamonds Peacock Brooch

The Peacock Brooch by Graff Diamonds from 2013 holds a value of approximately $100 million. The appearance is just what it sounds like — a peacock. Still, this peacock is covered in precious gemstones, including a range of colored diamonds, with a dark blue pear 20-carat-plus diamond in the center.

  • The Hutton-Mdivani Jadeite Necklace

You likely don’t think of jade when you think of super-expensive jewelry. However, this jadeite necklace, in particular, is valued at more than $27 million. The Cartier-owned piece is remarkable due to the jadeite beads’ size and overall quality. The beads are all carved from the same piece of jadeite and are more than 150% the size of the standard jadeite bead. It’s a true rarity.

  • The Maria Cristina Royal Belle Epoque Diamond Brooch

Worth more than $17 million, this Cartier-signed piece boasts a lavish historical connection to Spanish royalty. The brooch features three large diamonds, ranging from 6 to 34 carats, with more diamonds flanking the intricate design.

The Most Expensive Jewelry Brand in the World: FAQs

Who Makes the Most Expensive Jewelry in the World?

Many luxury jewelry designers offer both high jewelry — or the jewelry only available to the elite, sometimes at auction or only by appointment — and fine jewelry, which is still notably high-end but more accessible to the average shopper. Because of this, luxury jewelry brands’ prices can vary heavily. However, across the board, it’s generally thought that Harry Winston produces the most expensive jewelry.

Who Makes the Most Expensive Watches?

From pocket watches to diving watches and beyond, the luxury watch market combines fine craftsmanship with luxurious and durable materials. The most expensive watch is the Graff Diamonds Hallucination watch, at $55 million. However, Graff doesn’t specialize in watches, and the Patek Philippe brand is known to be the most expensive watch-specific brand.

Who Makes the Most Expensive Pearl Jewelry?

While the cultured pearl industry has made pearl jewelry more affordable, you can still find some fine jewelry designers using some of the world’s finest pearls. Tiffany & Co. boasts several pearl pieces, including a pearl and diamond necklace that starts at $62,000.

Protect Your Prized Pieces

Whether you’re planning to drop tens of thousands of dollars on a piece of fine jewelry or going for something a little more affordable, protect your favorite pieces with comprehensive jewelry insurance. The average homeowners’ and renters’ insurance only covers a fraction of the cost of most jewelry, meaning, in the event of loss, theft, or natural disaster, leaving you to cover the cost of jewelry repairs and replacements.

BriteCo can help fill in the coverage gaps that apply to just about every conceivable situation. You can rest easy knowing your pieces are protected.

Learn more and get a quick quote now.

Also Check:

Is Jewelry a Good Investment? | BriteCo Jewelry Insurance
Who Invented Jewelry? | BriteCo Jewelry Insurance

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Rachel's expertise is further enhanced by her distinction as a Graduate Gemologist from the prestigious Gemological Institute of America (GIA), equipping her with exceptional knowledge in gem identification and grading. Her education and experiences have given her an in-depth understanding of the demands and expectations facing jewelers and customers in today’s evolving retail marketplace.