Credit: Instagram@natasha.poonawalla
In the hushed, hallowed halls of London’s British Museum, under the soft glow of chandeliers, a piece of French royal history quietly made its modern debut. The occasion was the exclusive Pink Ball, a gathering of global luminaries hosted by Isha Ambani. Yet, for many, the most captivating guest was not a person, but an object: a magnificent pink diamond ring, now worn by philanthropist and business executive Natasha Poonawalla. This was no ordinary piece of jewellery. With a price tag of approximately ₹126 crores and a provenance tracing back to the last queen of France, its appearance signified more than opulence; it represented the fascinating journey of a historical artefact into the contemporary world.
The event itself provided a fitting stage. The Pink Ball, an intimate gathering of philanthropists, tastemakers, and collectors, felt like the perfect stage. The British Museum, a repository of stories and artefacts, amplified the poetic contrast: a centuries-old gemstone trending through the corridors of contemporary celebrity culture. And because the ball had an air of discretion and celebration rather than ostentation, the ring’s appearance felt respectful rather than merely showy.
If you know the name Natasha Poonawalla, you likely associate it with high fashion and headline-making jewellery. But there is more than glitz here. As Executive Director of one of the world’s most consequential biotech companies, she moves in boardrooms as confidently as she does on red carpets. She is both a collector and a custodian. That matters because choosing to buy a gem like the Marie-Thérèse Pink Diamond Ring signals an interest in story and stewardship, not just sparkle. Her style tends to be thoughtful. She buys objects that have a voice, and this ring speaks in a very old and very French accent.
The jewel’s headline facts are almost cinematic. The stone at the heart of the ring is a 10.38-carat fancy purple-pink diamond. That colour alone is rare. The cut, a modified kite brilliant, is unusual and arresting. Those two facts would be enough to grab attention. Add a royal lineage and a modern makeover by the famed jeweller JAR, and the piece becomes a bridge between eras.
Historically, this iconic diamond is tied to Marie Antoinette and later inherited by Marie-Thérèse, her daughter. It survived revolutions, private collections, and the slow passage of time. In June 2025, it resurfaced under the bright lights of Christie’s Magnificent Jewels sale in New York, where it more than doubled pre-sale expectations and sold for roughly $13.98 million, or about Rs 126 crore. The final setting, crafted by Joel Arthur Rosenthal, known simply as JAR, places the historic stone on a blackened platinum band studded with a delicate arrangement of round diamonds. The contrast of the pink centre and the dark metal makes the colour sing even louder.
It would be easy to reduce the story to money. But this ring’s journey is also about continuity. A gem that once belonged to a queen now lives on a contemporary collector whose life is concerned with public health and philanthropy. That transition raises interesting questions about who keeps history, who displays it, and how private ownership sits alongside public access. At the Pink Ball, it was a private show, yet the conversation it sparked bridged museums, auctions, and modern-day collecting.
When the ring was photographed, it did something clever. It anchored the look without dominating it. That is the mark of confident styling. The rest of her outfit read restrained, allowing the pink diamond ring to do the storytelling. The result was equal parts pageant and museum exhibit, an effect that felt tasteful rather than theatrical.
Objects with pedigree carry more than price. They carry memory, craft, and a trace of the hands that once held them. Natasha Poonawalla, wearing the Marie-Thérèse Pink Diamond Rin,g was a modern chapter in a very long story. It reminded us that luxury, at its best, can be a way of preserving and passing along beauty and history. And for an evening in a grand, quiet hall, a very old diamond found a new life on a new hand.
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