Princess Diana was known for her unique and often unconventional fashion choices, and her jewellery collection was no exception.
The Attallah cross is a perfect example of her signature style, with its combination of square-cut amethysts and circular-cut diamonds set in a bold, geometric design.
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And the fact that it was loaned to her by her friend, Naim Attallah, and not a gift from the royal family, made it all the more personal and meaningful.
However, the Attallah cross now has a new owner; it was recently purchased by Kim Kardashian at auction.
According to Sotheby’s, the cross was one of Diana’s favourite jewels. It was famously worn by the Princess of Wales in October 1987, when she attended a gala in support of Birthright; a charity dedicated to supporting people going through pregnancy and childbirth.
Diana wore a purple Catherine Walker gown to the gala and the cross, thanks to its amethysts, paired perfectly with it.
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The Attallah cross was made in the 1920s by former royal jewellers Garrard, the same jewellers who created Diana’s sapphire and diamond engagement ring. And in the 1980s, the Attallah cross was purchased by Naim.
Through his friendship with Princess Diana, he loaned it to her several times over a number of years. Sotheby’s has said that the cross was only ever worn by Diana, and following her death in 1997, it was never seen in public again… until now.
The Attallah cross went on display at the auction house’s galleries in London ahead of the sale on Wednesday January 18.
A Sotheby’s spokesperson told TMZ that the cross sold for US$197,453 (roughly AU$285,000). TMZ also reported that Kim was the one who had the winning bid. We’ll have to wait and see if she wears it in public…
