Pope Paul VI Diamond Jewelry Once Owned By Evel Knievel Available for $1.9 Million

Pope Paul VI's Diamond Cross and Ring in Case

It was first owned by Pope Paul VI (1963 – 1978) and after changing hands numerous times it last appeared three years ago on eBay. Now the diamond pectoral cross and ring has reappeared. This time at M.S. Rau Antiques in New Orleans where the items are now on sale for $1.9 million.

Did I mention that daredevil Evel Knievel once owned the jewels?

“Not only are these two pieces historically significant, they are remarkable due to the fact that Papal jewelry rarely comes on the market,” said Bill Rau, owner of the fine art and antiques business.

Pope Paul VI’s Diamond Cross

The intricately carved 18k yellow gold cross is 7 inches in length and decorated with diamonds and Colombian emeralds. Twelve mine-cut diamonds, ranging in size from 3 to 8 carats with VVS and VC clarity, run the length and width of the cross totaling more than 60 carats. The emeralds and smaller diamonds fill in the 18k carvings of scrolls and leaves along the edges of the cross.

The cross bears a stamp of “Cassio,” which refers to Cassio Studios, one of the artisan ateliers at the service of the Vatican, Bill Rau said. It is valued by the antique dealer at $1.25 million.

Pectoral crosses are given to clergy who attain the rank of bishop or higher.

Pope Paul VI’s Diamond Ring

The ring is centered with a 13-carat white diamond surrounded by 14 smaller round diamonds totaling 3.5 carats. It is set in platinum and flanked by two diamond pavé squares on either side inset with a cross made of rubies. It is valued at $650,000.

Both the ring and cross are engraved with the Christian Chi Rho symbol, which indicates that both were most probably made by Vatican jewelers in the early 1900's with existing jewels from the Vatican's own collection, Bill Rau said.

According to documents provided by the Vatican, Pope Paul VI made an historic visit to the UN to address the General Assembly in 1965 and at that time requested that these two pieces of jewelry be auctioned with the proceeds going to human relief funds.

The auction took two years to prepare and was handled by Parke-Bernet, the nation's largest fine art auction house until it was acquired by Sotheby's in the late 1960's. An eight-page brochure about these two pieces was printed for this unusual sale which took place in November, 1967. Chicago jeweler Harry Levinson bought both pieces of jewelry for $64,000 and the entire amount was divided between four UN agencies.

After that, the two pieces of jewelry were bought and sold several times. At one point they were even owned by Evel Knievel. According to published reports, the items were last placed on public sale by Perry’s Emporium, a Wilmington, N.C., jewelry store, whose owner, Alan Perry, placed the pieces on eBay with a starting bid of $850,000. Perry reportedly was selling the jewelry on behalf of a widow whose husband had purchased the ring and cross in the 1970s.

There is no word on whether they ever sold. A call made to Alan Perry was not returned.

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