Baroda Pearls necklace sold for a record $7.1 million

The royal Baroda Pearls, a two-strand necklace that enhanced the beauty of Indian princess for years was sold for a record $7.1 million (a little more than Rs28 crore) at Christie’s in New York.

The previous auction record for a pearl necklace set in 2004 was $3.13 million at Christie’s in Geneva.

The necklace dates to the 19th century, when the jewel- crazed Maharaja of Baroda, Khande Rao, added it to the royal treasury—which included a 129-carat diamond.

The sale also included a deep-blue, 22.7 carat Kashmir sapphire pendant, with a higher estimated value of $350,000, which ended up fetching $3.06 mn.