Key Takeaways
- A rare 10-carat pink diamond ring will go up for auction at Christie’s in New York City next month. It is said to be tied to Marie Antoinette and will be featured in the “Magnificent Jewels” auction.
- The kite-shaped stone is steeped in royal history and dates back to the mid-18th century.
- Christie’s anticipates the diamond will sell for up to $5 million. It was last sold at auction in 1996.
If you’re looking for an engagement ring that’s as special and unique as your relationship, here’s one to consider: A rare 10-carat pink diamond is about to go up for auction in New York City, and it’s said to be linked to Marie Antoinette. The only catch if you want to pop the question with this impressive stone? You’ll need several million dollars to pay for it.
On June 17, 2025, Christie’s will host the “Magnificent Jewels” auction at their Rockefeller Center location, and a 10.38-carat kite-shaped diamond called The Marie-Thérèse Pink Diamond will be included. It’s not just massive and stunning, though—it’s also steeped in royal history. “This rare 10.38-carat kite-shaped fancy purple-pink diamond is believed to date to the mid-18th century. According to royal lore, Queen Marie Antoinette entrusted her most treasured jewels to her faithful coiffeur on the eve of her failed escape from Paris in 1791, hoping to one day reclaim them,” a press release from the auction house notes. “Though fate intervened, the jewels were eventually passed down to her only surviving child, Duchess Marie Thérèse de Angoulême, and later to her niece, Duchess Marie Thérèse de Chambord. Though not known for certain, it is likely that this diamond was part of this inheritance.”
The ring was later worn by Queen Marie Theresa of Bavaria, who said it was a “a pink solitaire diamond from Aunt Chambord.” The stone has since been reset by Parisian jeweler Joel Arthur Rosenthal; at auction, it will be sold as “a spectacular ring that transforms it into a contemporary masterpiece, imbued with centuries of royal history, elegance, and intrigue.” The diamond last sold at auction in 1996.
If you’re interested in turning the incredible diamond into your own engagement ring or presenting it to your partner, you’ll need deep pockets. Christie’s expects the royal-adjacent piece to sell for upwards of $5 million. Last year, a 29-carat Harry Winston diamond went up for sale at another New York City auction house, and despite the fact that it was a much larger stone than the one about to be offered to the public, the diamond was expected to fetch around $2 million.
So, is The Marie-Thérèse Pink Diamond a good deal? If you have a few million dollars to spare and want a piece of royal history for your engagement ring, some might view the piece as a bargain; for the rest of us, we’ll have to just dream of what it would be like to wear such a unique piece of jewelry on the fourth finger of our left hand.