The diamond symbolises commitment, love, luxury, and the unbreakable. They are precious, dazzlingly eye-catching and an eternal classic in the world of finely made, bespoke jewellery.
Set in a ring, diamonds can create a beautiful engagement ring or eternity band. When used in a necklace design, they become iconic, the epitome of gemstone jewellery.
Reminiscent of old-world movie stars, glamorous galas for the upper echelons of society and royal occasions, decolletages heavy-laden with gemstones sparkle with opulence and indulgence.
Throughout time, diamond necklaces have been given as gifts by the very wealthy to celebrate occasions such as weddings, births and, of course, coronations.
Famous and historical examples of diamond necklaces
Diamonds have adorned the necks of many famous and sometimes infamous women over the centuries, each with their own stories. Some of the biggest, brightest and most ostentatious pieces of jewellery ever made are diamond necklaces.
A filmstar’s necklace
Made famous by the film Audrey Hepburn for the film Breakfast at Tiffany’s, the 128-carat yellow Tiffany diamond necklace is thought to be worth $32 million. More recently, it was seen around the neck of Lady Gaga, paired with an elegant black gown at the 2019 Oscars.
The coronation necklace
Originally crafted in 1958 for Queen Victoria, the Coronation necklace, with its matching drop earrings, features 26 large diamonds. Its chain of large cushion-cut gems with the 22-carat Lahore diamond drop has been worn by every British queen since, including Queen Camilla.
An 18th-century scandal over a necklace
In a plot designed to garner favour in the French court, an extravagant diamond necklace was supposed to be arranged by Cardinal Rohan to be delivered to the French Queen, Marie-Antoinette. But it was stolen in a feat of trickery by a woman posing as the Queen.
The necklace, made by Böhmer and Bassenge, featured almost 650 diamonds totalling almost 2,800, which was enormously expensive. The Cardinal was due to pay the jeweller in instalments, but since it was never delivered, the payments were not made.
With the jeweller chasing the money, the Cardinal was shamed. Although the con woman was arrested, the Queen never recovered from the embarrassment of the scandal.
Is a diamond necklace a good gift?
Of course, not all diamond necklaces are wildly expensive, conspicuously indulgent, or worn only by queens. More subtle, yet stunning diamond necklaces can be worn as daily jewellery or as a statement piece for a special occasion.
A diamond necklace makes a perfect gift for a loved one, or even for yourself. Mark a milestone or a celebration with gemstone jewellery that will last longer than a party and even become an heirloom. It is a thoughtful and elegant gift for someone you care about.
If your spouse has a diamond engagement ring or eternity ring, a diamond necklace can be paired to match the cut and brilliance of the ring. Although an engagement ring is usually worn daily, a diamond necklace can be used to elevate an outfit for that extra sparkle.
And while buying a diamond ring as a gift requires guessing the ring size of the wearer, a necklace can fit comfortably regardless of size.
What types of diamond necklaces are there?
Diamond necklaces can come in so many designs, with settings that can range from traditional and classical to the sculptural and ultra-modern, from the lavish and grand to the nuanced and understated.
Understanding the key styles of gemstone necklaces can help you choose the perfect piece of jewellery.
Pendant
One of the most popular styles is the pendant. A solitaire pendant is a single, usually large carat stone suspended from a chain. The diamond can be cut into many different shapes, often pear, oval, round, or a rectangular or square step-cut such as emerald, princess or Asscher.
A halo diamond necklace also features a pendant, but instead of a single large stone, it features a large gem with smaller diamonds set around the edges of it.
Trilogy necklaces are another type of pendant necklace, which, as the name suggests, are set with three gemstones. The diamonds are usually arranged in a vertical drop, with the stones representing the past, present and future.
Tennis or line necklace
Although it can be combined with a pendant, a tennis or line necklace is an unbroken chain of precious diamonds. Usually these are relatively small carat stones, and they can be all cut in the same way, for example, all round brilliant cut, or alternating different cuts.
The style has been around for over a hundred years as a diamond line or rivière necklace, but was only renamed in 1978 when tennis star Chris Evert paused a match to look for her diamond line bracelet.
These relatively simple and subtle necklaces can still dazzle and have been worn by many A-list celebrities at red carpet events. Ayo Edebiri paired a diamond chain with a black Louis Vuitton at the Emmys, and Selma Blair stacked three chains at the Fashion Trust Awards.
The diamond tennis necklace’s stackability, along with its classic understated style, makes it a timeless gift.
Station
The station necklace is another classic necklace design that works with pearls and other gemstones as well as diamonds. The precious gems are set at intervals on a chain of precious metals.
The diamonds can be either identical in size and cut or graduating, with the largest stone front and centre. Italian designer Elsa Peretti popularised the style in the 1970s using a fine precious metal chain with bezel-set diamonds at intervals around the neck.
Multi-string
The joy of diamond necklaces is that they do not have to be worn as a single chain; like engagement rings and signets, multiple strings of diamonds can be stacked together for added visual impact.
Some necklaces are designed specifically for that; for example, Princess Grace of Monaco’s wedding gift from her husband in 1953 was a three-strand design featuring 64 baguette and brilliant-cut stones.
On what occasions should you gift a diamond necklace?
Fine jewellery is a beautiful gift for any occasion; however, there are some that are more truly worthy of diamonds.
A wedding is often celebrated with a gift from the groom to the bride, and a diamond necklace to match the wedding band and diamond engagement ring can make the day extra special.
The birth of a child is also a time to give a diamond necklace; Emperor Napoleon famously gave a necklace to his wife, Marie-Louise, for the birth of their son. The piece was made in 1811 with mine-cut, oval-cut, pear-shaped and briolette-set stones, totalling 234 diamonds.
Anniversaries and big birthdays are also a great time to give diamonds to a loved one and make the celebrations sparkle that little bit more.
Or you could give yourself the gift of diamonds and celebrate your achievements in a timeless yet stunning fashion.