She’s keeping up with the royals.
Kim Kardashian acquired Princess Diana’s iconic amethyst-and-diamond cross necklace in a Sotheby’s auction for a cool $197,453, Page Six Style confirmed Wednesday.
According to a Sotheby’s press release, four bidders competed for the piece in the last five minutes of the auction house’s annual Royal & Noble sale; it ultimately wound up in the hands of a Kardashian rep “at more than double its pre-auction estimate.”
“We are delighted that this piece has found a new lease of life within the hands of another globally famous name,” Kristian Spofforth, the head of jewelry at Sotheby’s London, shared in a statement.
TMZ was the first to report the sale.
Dubbed the Attallah Cross, the gem-encrusted bauble was famously worn by the late Princess of Wales at a 1987 charity gala in London; she paired it with a matching black-and-purple velvet Catherine Walker dress.
The bling was a bold move on Diana’s part, and she’s believed to have worn the pendant on her own string of pearls.
“The cross-shaped pendant — thought to be a one-off private commission by Garrard for one of their regular clients — is a bold and colorful piece set with square-cut amethysts and accented by circular-cut diamonds,” the Sotheby’s press release states. “The cross has a total diamond weight of approximately 5.25 carats and measures approximately 136 x 95mm.”
The fleurée-style design was created by Garrard (the same jeweler behind Diana’s iconic sapphire engagement ring) in the 1920s.
Naim Attallah CBE purchased the piece in the 1980s, and lent it to Diana several times for events in the years that followed. Per the release, “It is understood that the cross was only ever worn by the princess, and following her death, it was never seen in public again until now.”
“Very few people could carry an unusual piece like this off, but Princess Diana certainly could,” Maxwell Stone of UK-based Steven Stone Jewelers previously told Page Six Style.
“Though amethyst traditionally represents the privilege of royalty, Diana’s choice to wear the pendant with an unusually long chain encapsulates her knack for showcasing her collection of royal jewels in a unique way, unafraid to go against tradition and alter lavish pieces.”
Kardashian, 40, is known for her love of historical fashion. She famously wore Marilyn Monroe’s “Happy Birthday, Mr. President” dress to the 2022 Met Gala.
The so-called “World’s Most Expensive Dress” was debuted by Monroe when she serenaded John F. Kennedy during his 45th birthday celebration at Madison Square Garden in 1962.
She was largely criticized for being allowed to wear the style artifact, though Kardashian claims she didn’t damage the garment and returned the gown in perfect condition; the Ripley’s Believe It or Not! museum, which loaned her the look, confirmed the dress wasn’t harmed.
Kardashian’s rep did not immediately return Page Six Style’s request for comment on her latest acquisition.