This $55 Million Diamond Necklace Set a World Record 10 Years Ago. Now We Know Who Bought It.
Ten years ago, Lebanese jeweler Mouawad’s L’Incomparable necklace earned a place in the Guinness Book of World Records as the “planet’s most valuable necklace.” The extraordinary piece contains the largest flawless diamond in the world, a yellow stone weighing over 407 carats, which is attached to another 102 diamonds. The stunning $55 million necklace has since been sold, and now we know who bought it.
The buyer, according to a report from Luxury Launches, was philanthropist Nita Ambani, the wife of billionaire businessman and Reliance Group heir Mukesh Ambani. But Nita didn’t keep the necklace for herself. Instead, she gave it to her daughter-in-law Shloka Mehta when she married the Ambani’s son, Akash, in March 2019.
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Their ceremony, held in Mumbai, India, was attended by Bollywood glitterati including actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Kareena Kapoor, and Rai Bachchan. (Coldplay gave the concert at the reception.) But none of the attendees eclipse the high-wattage gift.
Beyond its status as a touching keepsake, the necklace is a stunning creation on its own merits. The massive diamond is connected to a network of 18-karat rose gold branches set with a further 229 carats of white diamonds.
Akash Ambani and Shloka Meta first met when they were toddlers at Mumbai’s Dhirubhai Ambani school. Mehta went on earn a degree in anthropology at Princeton University, followed by a master’s degree in law and anthropology from the London School of Economics. Ambani, meanwhile, took up studies at Brown University. He reportedly proposed to Mehta on their final day of classes. In March 2018, the couple hosted a private engagement party in Goa where Ambani’s parents and other close relatives helped them celebrate their new milestone.
The couple’s wedding was held on March 9, 2019 at the Jio World Centre in BKC, Mumbai. Japanese cherry blossoms covered entrances welcoming guests into the venue and a number of cascading installations crafted from foliage. Florists decorated the ceilings with Shamiyana-style garlands, placed a floral peacock in the foyer, and even created a towering statue of Lord Krishna posing with a flute. A large conch shell made of pink flowers sat behind the idol for contrast.
Since 1990, Mouawad has been honored by Guinness World Records an impressive five times. Its most recent induction is The Flower of Eternity Jewelry Coffer (World’s Most Valuable Jewelry Box) set with 542 carats of white and yellow diamonds. Others include the jeweler’s 1001 Nights Diamond Purse (World’s Most Valuable Handbag); The Very Sexy Fantasy Bra, produced for the 2003 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show (World’s Most Expensive Bra); and Splendor (Most Expensive Single Pear-Shaped Diamond). And with a history like that, you can only wonder what record-breaking collectible they might come up with next.
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