The most expensive bracelet in the world

The bracelet that previously adorned the graceful hand of the Duchess of Windsor turned out to be the most expensive in the world. What is it about this, albeit masterfully executed, little thing, read on.

Reference! Initially, bracelets that adorned the hands of people of the ancient world had utilitarian functions - they served to protect the wrist from damage and at the same time - amulets. The desire to give everything an aesthetic form led to the appearance of luxurious and skillfully made things.

Precious Panther from the Wrist of Wallis Simpson

The piece of jewelry created by Cartier’s artisans at one time added to the jewelry collection of the American woman W. Simpson, who became the wife of the Duke of Windsor. This an outstanding woman became dear in every sense to her crowned husband (hers is the third): she cost him not only a lot of money, which he did not spare on the most expensive stones, but also the throne! For her sake, the former Edward VIII gave up the British throne to his brother.

The bracelet is a flexible figurine of a predatory cat sparkling with emerald eyes, made of:

• platinum;
• diamonds;
• onyx.

All this skillfully fastened beauty, almost 20 cm long, tightly grips the wrist.

The year 2010 was marked by a major event in the world of luxury connoisseurs: the largest auction house Sotheby’s put up for sale twenty Wallis jewelry, including the famous panther. And this lot “outweighed” all the others combined: its price was over 4.5 million pounds sterling! Moreover, several stones were missing from the decoration by this time.

It is unknown into whose possession the jewel passed. Rumor has it it was Madonna. The seller's incognito identity has not been disclosed either.

The bracelet is currently being evaluated to a figure exceeding $12 million. Experts are afraid to predict how much it will cost in the future!

Interesting! The buzz around the duchess's jewelry began back in 1987, when the owner of Sotheby's A. Taubman put it up for auction. Before this, the collection’s “tour” to major museums in Europe and America served as excellent advertising. The auction, which went down in history, became a real show!

Why so expensive?

The price of products of this class depends, in addition to the materials spent on it and the skill of the jewelers, on:

• manufacturer's position in the world of jewelry business;
• status and popularity of former owners;
• history of things.

All this is about the famous bracelet, created by a famous manufacturer for one of the most famous women of the twentieth century and which became a silent witness to many remarkable events.

Created in 1952, the panther cemented the commercial relationship between Cartier and the Duchess, who became one of the faces of the brand.. This was not the only item made by the famous jewelry house for Wallis, and some were made according to her sketches. The history of the “cat” line of jewelry that made the jewelry house famous began with the panther.

Interesting! Each piece of jewelry the Duchess wears contains engravings of a purely personal nature, and from them one can trace a specific stage in the development of their relationship. This only raises the price!