Written by Amarachi Orie, CNN
Kim Kardashian has acquired the diamond-encrusted Attallah Cross pendant worn several times by Diana, Princess of Wales for £163,800 (about $200,000).
In the final five minutes of Wednesday’s sale of the Royal and Noble collection at Sotheby’s London auction house, a Kardashian representative successfully outbid others vying for the amethyst cross.
The item sold for more than double its pre-auction estimate, Sotheby’s said.
“This is a bold piece of jewelry because of its size, color and style that inevitably makes a vibrant statement, whether in faith or fashion – or indeed both,” said Kristian Spofforth, head of jewelry at Sotheby’s London, in a press release Wednesday.
“We are delighted that this piece has found new life in the hands of another world-renowned name,” added Spofforth.
The pendant was made by jeweler Garrard in 1920 and sold to businessman Naim Attallah in the 1980s. Photo credit: Sotheby’s
The pendant was made by court jeweler Garrard in 1920, according to the auction house, and features square-cut amethyst stones in a cruciform shape, set with round-cut diamonds in a distinctive floral pattern.
The piece is approximately 5.4″ x 3.7″ and has a total diamond weight of approximately 5.25 carats.
It was purchased in the 1980s by the late businessman Naim Attallah of Garrard, who, according to Sotheby’s, loaned the piece to his friend Princess Diana on several occasions to wear to events.
Princess Diana “had a particular fondness” for the pendant, the auction house said, and she famously presented it while wearing a black and purple Catherine Walker dress to a charity gala in support of Birthright, a charity working to protect the human race Human rights during pregnancy begins Birth in October 1987.
Princess Diana famously wore the pendant to a charity gala in October 1987. Photo credit: Tim Graham Photo Library/Getty Images
The princess married the current British King Charles III in 1981. and became an international icon, using her fame to raise awareness of numerous causes including leprosy, HIV, domestic violence and mental health.
“Princess Diana’s confidence grew during the 1980s as she became known for increasingly bold fashion choices, moving away from the more romantic and demure style she had previously favored,” Sotheby’s said in the publication.
“The fact that she is known to have worn what is now known as the Attallah Cross on a number of occasions – mainly on private occasions – supports this development,” she added.
The auction house is aware that Diana was the only one to ever wear the cross, and this is the first time it has been shown publicly since her death.
While this is a piece of British royal history, Kardashian famously wore a piece of Hollywood history to last year’s Met Gala. The 42-year-old appeared on the red carpet in a sparkling, skin-tight gown that Marilyn Monroe once wore when she sang the famous “Happy Birthday” to President John F. Kennedy in 1962.