25+ Most Expensive Jewels Owned By The British Royal Family, Ranked

It is no secret the royal family is usually covered head to toe in jewels. But, these are not the average Cartier or Piaget. Instead, they derive from years of history and are impeccably valuable.

The Queen’s four-strand pearl necklace - $30,000+

The author of The Queen's Jewels, Leslie Field, wrote, "there has never been a queen who didn't wear pearls." While Queen Elizabeth favored her pearl necklaces, one stood out in particular. 

In the 1970s, the Queen visited Japan, where the government gifted her Majesty the unique pearl necklace. The pearls were crafted by Garrard, a luxury fine jewelry company that the royal family used repeatedly. He has provided a substantial amount of jewelry to the family, which is worth large amounts.

Queen Alexandra’s amethyst sautoir necklace - $60,000

A sautoir necklace is a term derived from France to describe a long chain with either a long tassel or other ornament attached. These necklaces have existed for many years, and was owned by Queen Alexandra, who reigned in the 20th Century.

This necklace had a heart-shaped amethyst attached, and in 1923, the necklace was handed to Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon after she wedded Prince Albert, Duke of York. In 1937, Albert transposed his royal status to King George VI with Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, as Queen.

The Carrington Feather Brooch - $85,000

There is nothing like a simple and classy brooch to accessorize royal garments for something a little more decorative. While Queen Elizabeth was known for her vibrant-colored outfits, her brooches were a beautiful touch to glamorize her jackets.

The late monarch received a feathered shape brooch with an added square-cut sapphire as a wedding gift, made and gifted personally from Carrington jewelers. The Court Jeweller wrote, "The Queen only (wore) the brooch with blue or purple clothing, helping to emphasize the shifting color of the gemstone."

Queen Mother’s maple-leaf brooch - $120,000+

The late monarch's mother, the Queen Mother, also was fond of the brooch accessory. She received one after her daughter's coronation. This brooch was specifically a Canadian Diamond brooch and was gifted to her in the spring of 1939.

The leaf-shaped brooch was one close to the Queen Mother's heart as it was handed to her by her husband, King George VI. Made by Asprey, the luxury goods company, the diamonds were set in platinum and shaped into the national symbol of Canada. So, it made sense to present it to the Queen's Mother during a state visit to the Canadians.

Queen Elizabeth's Brazilian aquamarine necklace - $180,000+

This high-class piece of jewelry did not wash up from anywhere. In 1953, Queen Elizabeth II attended her coronation in Westminster Abbey. The emerald-cut necklace was personally gifted to her by the President of Brazil, Getúlio Vargas, to commend the late monarch on this special occasion.

The aquamarine necklace was a set with matching earrings with the same emerald-cut stones in the diamond scrolls. The late monarch adored the two pieces so much that she even had a matching tiara made to complete the glamorous three-piece set.

Camilla's Cubitt-Shand tiara - $300,000

Believe it or not, this was one of the smaller tiaras Camilla owned out of her rather large and lavish collection. This being the case, we can only envision the number of jewels placed in her draws as presented in The Princess Diaries 2. Although, this piece of jewelry entails a more romantic nature and historical background. 

This was one of Camilla's favorites for sentimental reasons. The tiara was inherited by her family and has been passed down through generations. Initially owned by Camilla's grandma Sonia Keppel, Camilla's mother, Rosalind, took ownership and passed it onto Camilla's daughter, Laura, on her wedding day.

Queen Mary’s diamond choker - $300,000+

While chokers are typically known to accentuate the neck, this remarkable piece of jewelry is seen clasped around the Princess of Wales's wrist. The diamond choker originated in the 1920s and belonged to Queen Mary. Yet, Kate Middleton has become fond of the heavily diamond-crusted bracelet.

While it can be worn around the neck, the Queen Mother also worked around the piece of jewelry and wore it as a bracelet. Now, this is not one of those chokers that would easily slip off the wrist but instead perfectly sits on the wrist… while potentially weighing down the arm.

Queen Alexandra’s pearl parure - $360,000

In 1863, Alexandra of Denmark became the Princess of Wales when she became the wife of Victoria's son, Edward. As this was a momentous occasion where Alexandra became Queen Alexandra, she was gifted a pricey pearl parure from Garrard.

The entire set included a necklace, tiara, brooch, and earrings. It was worth £13,680, but it didn't stop there. Today, the parure is worth over £300,000. As seen on Kate Middleton, she is sure to have added major royal value to the dazzling four-piece set.

Ceylon Sapphire engagement ring - $360,000

There is no easy way to pick out an engagement ring. Regarding every cut, carat, clarity, and color, this is the most important ring of a woman's life, especially for the royal family, which will go down in history. Yet, while Kate Middleton had endless options, but chose something a little more nostalgic.

A new piece from Garrard was presented to Princess Diana in 1981, her engagement ring. She fell in love with the 12-carat sapphire ring from Sri Lanka. When Kate said yes to William, she accepted William's late mother's ring as her engagement ring. It was something borrowed and something blue.

Russian Sapphire Cluster Brooch - $600,000

A Queen can never have too many brooches. Not to mention, she has an extensive range of outfits of every color, so it is essential she has the right accessories to match. However, this brooch didn't initially belong to Queen Elizabeth II but was first worn by Marie Feodorovna.

Marie Feodorovna married autocrat Tsar Alexander III, who reigned for 13 years from 1881. In 1943, Queen Elizabeth's grandmother, Queen Mary, bought it off Feodorovna and was quickly favorited by the Queen Mother. She wore it whenever possible while Queen Elizabeth II popped it onto her jacket in 2014 when she visited Pope Francis.

Queen Alexandra’s Kokoshnik Tiara - $695,000

This prestige and unique tiara was made by a group of aristocratic women named, The Ladies of Society. Queen Elizabeth II proudly wore the tiara at various state and official events. The famous tiara made its way to the opening of the Australian Parliament in 1951, to Mexico in 1975, and Turkey in 2008.

But, the late monarch was not the first to wear the tiara. Queen Alexandra, Elizabeth II's great-grandmother, originally owned the Kokoshnik tiara. It was personally gifted by The Ladies of Society to Alexandra on her 25th wedding anniversary in 1888.

Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot Tiara - $1 million

Over many years of royal history, four women of the family have had the pleasure of wearing Queen Mary's Lover's Knot tiara. Princess Diana took a liking to the headpiece and frequently wore it. When Princess Diana passed, it was not worn until 2015, when Princess Charlotte wore it to an event at Buckingham palace.

However, the first to wear the tiara was Queen Mary, who reigned on the throne between 1910 to 1936 while married to George V. The tiara was made in 1913 and was a copy of Cambridge's Lover's Knot, which belonged to Queen Mary's aunt. Since then, the late monarch and Kate Middleton have worn it.

Cartier Halo Scroll Tiara - $1.7 million

For Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, Cartier was going to make her something a little more special than their custom 'LOVE' bracelets. In 1936, Cartier sold the Halo Scroll Tiara to George VI just before his coronation. The silver-lined tiara has been passed down many royal generations since.

The tiara was passed on from George VI's wife, Elizabeth, to her daughter, the late monarch, Queen Elizabeth II. Besides a royal coronation, this gift was exceptionally sentimental as it was an 18th birthday present. The tiara containing 1,311 diamonds was then worn by Kate Middleton in 2011 as her borrowed item at her wedding.

Queen Mary’s diamond bandeau - $2.4 million

This specific bandeau shapes tiara is famous for its Art Deco Style. It contains diamonds and platinum, designed into 11 sections covering the entire headpiece. The sections are divided by ovals and diamonds. While it is considered a tiara, a brooch that features a floral shape sits in the middle and can be removed to wear on its own.

We know the late monarch would not hesitate to display this on another brightly colored outfit. The tiara was originally made for Queen Mary in 1932. It was gifted to her by the Country of Lincoln at her wedding in 1839. In 1953, Mary passed, and the Queen inherited the tiara.

Dubai Looped-Sapphire Demi-Parure - $3 million

United Kingdom-based designer, Asprey, made this fiery piece of jewelry. The glamorous set of sapphire and gold was presented to the late monarch in 1979 by Sheikh Rashid, vice president, prime minister, and minister of defense of the United Arab Emirates. However, it wasn't initially fit for the Queen.

The original dual jewelry set consisted of a ring, earrings, and a necklace. The sapphire jewels were embezzled into a uniquely designed chain but did not fit the Queen initially. The earrings and necklace were made smaller in size, while the ring was redesigned into a bracelet along with the remaining chain parts.

Lotus Flower Tiara - $4.8 million

The Lotus Flower Tiara was assembled from reused pearl and diamond necklaces. The detail on lotuses and rose-cut diamonds was too exquisite not to be passed down to royal generations. Like many other jewelry pieces, it was another wedding gift to the Queen Mother in 1923. It was given to her by her husband, former King George VI.

The familiar jeweler to the royal family, Garrard, initially made it as a necklace but transformed it into a tiara. This procedure happened just six months after it was gifted. The Queen Mother could never have too many tiaras. Since then, Kate Middleton has honorably worn the tiara publicly.

The Belgian Sapphire Tiara - $6 million

This enhanced piece of jewelry was specifically designed to "coordinate with a set of Victorian-era sapphire jewels that the Queen already owned," says The Court Jeweller. The gift was initially a necklace and pair of earrings received from her father in 1947, King George VI, but a bracelet and ring were added to the collection.

The tiara also sometimes goes by the name the Victorian Sapphire Tiara. The late monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, received it when she was just a princess. In 1963, Queen Elizabeth decided to expand the collection by adding the Belgian Sapphire Tiara. Little did she know about her future reign and how many more tiaras she would own.

Burmese Ruby Tiara - $6 million

Another tiara, another color, and another piece of dazzling jewelry to add to the royal collection. The Nizam of Hyderabad, the Indian royal family who reigned from the 18th to the 20th century, specifically made this tiara for Queen Elizabeth II. It was a gift on her and Prince Phillip's wedding day in 1947.

The tiara lives up to its name, made from rubies and white diamonds, which were recycled from another tiara. The late monarch was told she could choose anything from the Cartier collection and opted for a necklace and tiara. Though, in the 1970s. The two pieces of jewelry were reconstructed and turned into the Burmese Ruby Tiara.

Queen Mary’s fringe tiara - $6 million+

This tiara is most remembered and most famous for being the jeweled headpiece that Queen Elizabeth II wore on her wedding day when she married Prince Philip in 1947. While it is made up of gold and silver diamonds, these jewels are divided by 46 diamond points.

Garrard made the Russian-styled tiara partially from diamonds owned by Queen Mary. While it deconstructs into a necklace, having two wedding dresses seems basic, but rather have a change of diamonds. Princess Anne and Princess Beatrice both wore the tiara at their weddings. However, it was initially Elizabeth's grandmother's in 1919.

The Queen’s Oriental Circlet Tiara - $7.2 million+

In 1853, Prince Albert had this tiara made initially for his wife, Queen Victoria. The oriental tiara is made up of rubies and diamonds, uniquely shaped into flowers inside arches. However the initial design consisted of 2,600 diamonds, but the tiara underwent many changes.

In 1901, when Victoria passed, Edward VII took the throne, and his wife, Queen Alexandra, had some changes in mind regarding the bejeweled work. Originally embezzled with opals, she added a necklace, brooch, and a set of earrings to go with it. But, the opals were replaced with rubies and was passed down to Queen Elizabeth II.

Greville Festoon Necklace - $8 million

While other royals called this the Boucheron Honeycomb Tiara, the piece from 1901 never fails to stun anyone. While originally made out of diamonds and platinum surrounding a flat top, Cartier added a marquise stone for extra height, making it stand out more.

There are plenty of diamonds to outshine any other tiara, regardless. Still, the name behind the tiara derives from Margaret Greville, a wealthy jewelry collector, and dynasty. She had great access to an elite society of people, which she used to her advantage, as she left most of her jewelry to the Queen Mother.

The Prince Albert Brooch - $9.6 million

In 1840, just a day before Queen Victoria was about to walk down the aisle, Prince Albert gifted his future wife, Prince Albert Brooch. Prince Albert kept this gift a secret from his wife. He received the brooch from Garrard's and was of sapphire and diamond "set in gold," says The Court Jeweler. 

Queen Victoria was thrilled when she received the gift. She treasured and valued it so much enough to write it down in her diary, which was later rediscovered. She even noted the moment in her diary, describing it as "a splendid brooch, a large sapphire set round with diamonds, which is really quite beautiful."

Grand Duchess Vladimir Tiara - $12 million

Gerrard did it again with a 1918 classically designed tiara. However, this tiara is far from classic. While it lives up to its grand name, the 15 combined circular diamonds can be swapped for emeralds or diamonds. Considering its transformative feature, this is a tiara for many occasions. But, there is more history behind it.

The tiara was made for the Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna of Russia. However, in 1918, The Grande Duchess fled from Russia after her husband, Grand Duke Vladimir, was eliminated by communists. She terminated in Britain and brought with her. Queen Mary bought the tiara, but Queen Elizabeth II inherited the accessory after she passed.

Greville Emerald Kokoshnik Tiara - $14 million

In 1921, Boucheron, a French luxury jewelry manufacturer, gifted Margaret Greville the Emerald Kokoshnik Tiara. Greville was a British society hostess and philanthropist and died in 1942. As a gift from her will, the Queen Mother inherited the tiara and passed it down through generations of the royal family.

The tiara had not been seen in the public eye for at least 80 years. However, it made a dazzling reappearance in 2018. Princess Eugenie of York, Queen Elizabeth II's granddaughter, married Jack Brooksbank and proudly wore the tiara on her special day. The six emerald-filled beauty still belongs to Princess Eugenie today.

Princess Diana’s Saudi sapphire suite - $20 million

If Princess Diana herself was not breathtaking enough, her Saudi sapphire suite might do the trick. At Princess Diana and Prince Charles's wedding in 1981, the Saudi Royal family graced Diana with this beautiful gift. It was crafted as an add-on to her already owned 12-carat sapphire engagement ring. But, it didn't stop there.

The set includes a necklace, earrings, a wristwatch, and a ring. Asprey, the London jewelers, assembled all pieces. A collection that is bound to turn heads. Maxwell Stone, a jewelry professional, deemed it "an incredible jewelry suite, especially the necklace, which is a real show stopper," as reported in Crisscut Magazine.

St. Edward’s Crown - $39 million

This is more than any average tiara. On special occasions, the public witness a true circular ornament of royalty: a crown. St. Edward's Crown is considered the "centerpiece of the British Crown Jewels." The crown was born in 1661 and is "the most important and sacred of all the crowns," says Historic Royal Palaces. 

Apart from being surrounded by heightened and strict security at the Tower of London, the late monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, only wore the crown once for a short moment at her coronation in 1953. While any royal garment overlooks the average weight for an accessory, the crown includes at least 5 pounds of gold and 444 gems.

Cullinan III & IV Brooch - $60 million

Another brooch to add to the late monarch's collection. This brooch is the fourth-largest cut out of her Majesty's collection. In fact, most of Queen Elizabeth's platinum jewels matched with the renowned Cullinan Diamond stone. Even at Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee, the jewelry theme focused on this brooch.

The stone consists of a staggering 3,106 carat stone, some used within the crown's jewels. It was initially discovered in 1905 and handed over as a gift to Edward VII in 1907. The stone was located in a South African mine and was so astonishing that it was named after the boss of the mining company, Thomas Cullinan.

Princess Diana’s Sapphire and Pearl Choker - $120 million

When Princess Diana wedded Prince Charles in 1981, the Queen Mother presented the Sapphire and Pearl Choker to Diana as a gift. Suzy Menkes, the author of the 1985 book The Royal Jewels, wrote, "The Queen Mother's wedding present to Diana was a duck egg of a sapphire, surrounded by a double row of diamonds and mounted as a brooch."

The choker has not been seen in years. The last time it was worn in public was in 1996, when Princess Diana, Princess of Wales, was in New York for the Met Gala. Since then, not even another royal family member has worn it, but it is kept safely with the sons she left behind, Prince William and Prince Harry.

The Cullinan I Diamond - $525 million

This rare sparkle is claimed as "the largest rough diamond of gem quality ever found," says WP Diamonds. The blinding diamond weighs approximately 3,106.75 carats, discovered by Thomas Cullinan in South Africa in 1905. It is an extraordinary piece of work, as not every diamond is created equally. 

We can't imagine receiving this as any ordinary gift. However, in 1907, Kind Edward VII did accept this scarce stone as a gift for his birthday. It was cut into nine stones, while the largest is 530.2 carats. In 1910, it was established as the most important diamond in the Crown Jewels.

The Koh-i-Noor Diamond - $1 billion+

If a diamond is ever established as legendary, it is the Koh-i-Noor Diamond. This is topped as one of the most expensive diamonds in the world or even history. The stone allegedly came from a mine in India in the 1300s. However, the tension on the surface addresses that the diamond still belongs to India.

The diamond contains a 105-carat stone. Today, these stones are embezzled into one of the Crown Jewel pieces, the Crown of Queen Elizabeth II and the Queen Mother. Yet, previous owners of the stunning stone have included Mughal Emperors, Shahs of Iran, Emirs of Afghanistan, and Sikh Maharajas.