A rare diamond tie-necklace by Van Cleef & Arpels fetched $3.6 million at a recent Sotheby’s jewellery auction in New York, making it the highlight of the event

Dating back to around 1929, the necklace features graduated links adorned with variously cut diamonds and elongated, partially rotating tassels. Initially estimated to sell for a maximum of $1.2 million, the piece exceeded expectations, thanks to a six-minute bidding war among seven participants.

This necklace exemplifies the geometric designs typical of the Art Deco movement, and it's believed that only a few such pieces were ever created.