In a world where jewellery often signals wealth, a rare few pieces speak instead of lineage, legacy, and cultural power. Natasha Poonawalla’s Marie-Therese Pink Diamond ring belongs firmly to the latter
category. Far beyond a red-carpet accessory or collector’s indulgence, this jewel represents a meeting point between European royal history and contemporary Indian luxury.
While Indian high society is accustomed to museum-grade diamonds and royal heirlooms, this particular stone completely shifts the narrative. Its story does not begin in India, but in 18th-century France, within the gilded halls of Versailles.
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At the heart of the ring lies a 10.38-carat purple-pink diamond, cut in a rare modified kite brilliant style. What makes it extraordinary is not just its colour or clarity, but its provenance. The gemstone is believed to have once belonged to Queen Marie Antoinette and later passed to her daughter, Marie-Therese d’Angouleme, the only surviving child of the ill-fated French monarch.
Very few jewels in private ownership today can trace such a direct line to European royalty. In the rarefied universe of high jewellery, the provenance of this calibre elevates a diamond from a precious object to a historical artefact.
Despite its centuries-old origin, the ring’s current incarnation feels resolutely modern. The diamond was reset by legendary designer Joel Arthur Rosenthal, known simply as JAR, whose work is coveted by collectors and museums alike. His design places the historic pink diamond on a blackened platinum band, punctuated with 17 accent diamonds and framed by additional round stones that amplify its soft yet commanding hue.
The result is a piece that honours history without feeling archival – an aesthetic parallel to Natasha Poonawalla’s own fashion identity.
The ring’s most recent chapter unfolded at Christie’s Magnificent Jewels sale in New York on June 17, 2025. Estimated at $3–5 million, it stunned the auction world when the hammer fell at $13.98 million – approximately Rs 125–126 crore. The sale firmly positioned it among the most valuable pink diamonds ever auctioned, and underscored the growing influence of Indian collectors in the global luxury market.
When Natasha Poonawalla wore the ring to Isha Ambani’s Pink Ball at London’s British Museum, it wasn’t just an appearance. It was a statement. In an era where jewellery is increasingly about storytelling, this diamond stands as a symbol of cultural fluency, historical awareness, and modern authority.
