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The Diamond Choker Craze Isn’t Going Anywhere

From Ancient Egypt to the Academy Awards, the natural diamond choker is a modern statement piece with a deep-rooted history.

By Hannah Militano | April 18, 2025

(L-R) Queen Alexandra, Sofia Carson, Elizabeth Taylor in diamond chokers. (Getty Images)

For centuries now, the natural diamond choker has graced the necks of Ancient Egyptian rulers, the British monarchy, our favorite movie stars, and everyday people alike. Simultaneously a royal relic and a contemporary bold jewelry trend, the choker has recently seen style endorsements from Selena Gomez, Keke Palmer, Sofia Carson, and Elle Fanning this awards season.

Jewelry designer Stephanie Gottlieb describes the diamond choker as “the ultimate ‘I’ve arrived’ moment.” She tells Only Natural Diamonds, “It hugs the neck with just the right amount of attitude — equal parts glam and edge. As a designer, I love how it turns up the drama without saying a word. It’s not just jewelry, it’s a power move in sparkle form.”

Meet the Expert

The Diamond Choker Craze Isn’t Going Anywhere

Designer Stephanie Gottlieb founded Stephanie Gottlieb Fine Jewelry in 2013.

Known for its custom creations and celebrity fans, Gottlieb’s jewelry maintains a legacy of elite craftsmanship and the use of ethically sourced materials and natural diamonds.

The History of Diamond Chokers

The Sumerians are credited as the first to wear golden chokers, beginning around 2500. Egyptian Pharaohs also sported the closely fitting neck adornment, believing chokers to have special healing and protective powers. (Considering the current state of the world, who wouldn’t want a little extra protection at the moment?) In certain African and Asian cultures, women wear rings or coils around their necks as a status symbol, a means of protection, or an indicator of their particular tribe or cultural identity. Some cultures use neck rings to create the illusion of a longer neck. In East Africa, Maasai women are often gifted their neck rings by their husbands as a sign of affection.

Chokers hold a deep significance throughout Indian culture as well. Known as “guluband,” chokers have been worn for hundreds of years, crafted with natural diamonds, impeccable gemstones, and meticulous goldwork.

As far as the British monarchy goes, the ill-fated second wife of Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn famously wore a gold “B” pendant on a tight strand of pearls around her neck. After the King ordered her beheaded in 1536, Henry VIII ordered all portraits of her be destroyed. The one that survived is currently sitting in the National Portrait Gallery in London, displaying the mother of Queen Elizabeth I, wearing the iconic choker. While historians do not know what happened to the mythical piece of jewelry, legend has it that the charm was melted down and integrated into the Imperial State Crown.

Queen Alexandra of Denmark also wore her fair share of diamond-encrusted choker necklaces to hide a small scar on her neck from a childhood thyroid surgery, unwittingly igniting a trend. From Queen Mary to Queen Elizabeth II, no royal carried on the penchant for chokers quite like Princess Diana.

It was regal with a rebellious twist — a symbol of timeless elegance reimagined with personality.

Princess Diana and Diamond Chokers

The original trendsetter, Princess Diana, converted her Saudi Sapphire choker from two other pieces of jewelry, including a diamond wristwatch. The oval-shaped sapphire was cut from a ring and refashioned in a natural diamond frame from a watch. The then-Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia commissioned a suite of sapphire and diamonds from Asprey to give Diana as a wedding gift. The Princess of Wales transformed the diamonds from the watch and ring to create four new pieces of jewelry, including the famed diamond and velvet choker that she was also known to wear as a headband across her forehead.

She was also known to wear Queen Mary’s diamond and emerald choker, as well as the memorable multi-strand pearl, sapphire, and natural diamond choker she wore with her little black “revenge dress” in 1994. “It was regal with a rebellious twist — a symbol of timeless elegance reimagined with personality,” says Gottlieb.

Moving through time and adapting to the trends of the moment, chokers come in all shapes, sizes, and proportions but remain timeless with the help of natural diamonds. The bold and regal jewelry staple will be beloved ad infinitum.

The Maharaja of Patiala’s Diamond Choker

The Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala first met Jacques Cartier during the jeweler’s first trip to India in 1911. By 1925, the Maharaja was traveling to Paris, bringing approximately 20 trunks filled with the highest quality precious stones to have his jewels reset at the legendary jewelry house, Maison Cartier.

Known for his penchant for luxury, he commissioned Cartier to make a ceremonial necklace in 1928. The extraordinary natural diamond choker, later worn by Emma Chamberlain at the 2022 Met Gala, was just one component of the impressive jewel, later known as the Patiala Necklace.

The Patiala Necklace included five rows of platinum chains, embellished with 2,390 diamonds and an assortment of Burmese rubies. At the time, this was the most expensive jewel in history and one of Cartier’s largest commissions of all time. The exquisite piece was last seen on Sir Bhupinder Singh’s son, Maharaja Yadavindra Singh in 1948 before mysteriously disappearing from the Patiala royal treasury.

After its disappearance, there was no trace of the Patiala Necklace for 34 years but in 1982, the De Beers diamond miraculously resurfaced at Sotheby’s Patiala Royal Family auction—just the solitaire diamond, without the rest of the necklace. In 1998, a different part of the necklace appeared in a second-hand antique shop in London.

Cartier purchased whatever scraps of the five-tiered necklace they could find to authentically restore the historic piece. Due to just how rare and spectacular the original, missing jewels were, Cartier had to remake the bib-style necklace with replica stones to maintain its historic appearance. Luckily, the choker portion remained intact with natural diamonds.

Diamond Chokers on the Big Screen

Steeped in pomp and circumstance, a dramatic diamond choker has the innate ability to drive the plot forward in some of our favorite films. In the 1964 rags-to-riches musical My Fair Lady, Audrey Hepburn stars as the Cockney working-class girl, Eliza Doolittle. Hepburn’s sky-high updo is embellished with a diamond chandelier tiara designed by Chaumet, teamed with a luxurious openwork choker and matching drop earrings. Her knock-out ensemble, designed by Cecil Beaton, even scored the film an Academy Award for the wardrobe.

Baz Luhrmann’s 2001 Academy Award-winning cinematic adventure Moulin Rouge! features one of the most prominent pieces of diamond jewelry in film history: a natural diamond choker.

Set in 1899 Paris during the Bohemian Revolution, Nicole Kidman stars as the courtesan Satine, also known as the “Sparkling Diamond.” When the evil Duke tries to claim her for himself, he places an intricate diamond bib choker around her neck, representing his possession of her.

Named after the character, the necklace was designed by Australian jeweler Stefano Canturi. It was entered into the Guinness Book of World Records as one of the most expensive pieces of jewelry ever made for a motion picture. Inspired by the opulent lace-like jewelry of the period and Louis XVI, the hand-crafted Satine necklace features 1,308 diamonds, totaling 134 carats, with a 2.5-carat sapphire clasp. It took over four months to make, using 100-year-old techniques.

The Tourist sees Angelina Jolie’s character Elise Clifton-Ward, wear an extraordinary diamond choker with a scintillating backstory. While the film was still in pre-production, Jolie called upon the jewelry prowess of Robert Procop to help find the most captivating piece for her character.

According to the jeweler, he went on an international search to narrow the selection from 100 fine necklaces to seven. Together, they decided on a Cartier choker with an interwoven laurel leaf motif, featuring circular-cut diamonds in platinum.

Originally crafted in a Parisian workshop in 1906 for Louis-François Cartier, the choker became an instant Hollywood star following the film’s release. To promote the movie, SONY Pictures built a traveling showcase that brought the diamond choker around the world during the press tour. Since its cinematic debut, the necklace has been affectionately dubbed “The Elise Choker,” after Jolie’s character in the film.

Watch This Trend: Diamond Watch Chokers

2024 Grammy Awards Taylor Swift Natural Diamond Jewelry — Taylor Swift attends the 66th GRAMMY Awards on February 04, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Getty Images)

Tyla, Taylor Swift, and Rihanna are reminding us what time it is, giving the diamond watch choker their sartorial endorsement. Clearly, a watch is not just for your wrist. Redefining the style staple, timeless timepieces have recently been worn in unorthodox and unexpected ways by your favorite A-listers. The classic wristwatch has been given a maximalist approach, worn as rings, anklets, and chokers.

Tyla attended the 2024 MTV Europe Music Awards, wearing a Jacob & Co. diamond watch choker, worth $1 million. The 38-carat diamond boutique necklace watch includes 29 carats of GIA-certified Ashoka-cut diamonds, including a watch head with 5.25 carats, a 2.78-carat diamond dial, and 1.05 carats in triangular-cut diamonds.

Taylor Swift stopped time at the 2024 Grammy Awards, sporting 300 carats of black and white Lorraine Schwartz diamond jewels, layering multiple necklaces, including a custom-made vintage Concord watch choker with a black diamond-embellished strap. The timepiece was set to 12 a.m. as a covert reference to her album, Midnights.

Rihanna made a diamond-studded splash at Pharrell Williams’ debut fashion show for Louis Vuitton. She attended the Spring/Summer 2024 Menswear Collection runway presentation in Paris, wearing a bold custom Jacob & Co. watch choker. The masterful jewel featured a 47-mm white gold case, invisibly set with 352 baguette-cut white natural diamonds totaling 29.57 carats. The stunner also showcased a flying tourbillon.

Bulgari Serpenti Diamond Chokers

The Bulgari Serpenti diamond choker is more than a necklace, it’s a living legend. First introduced in 1948, the Serpenti has evolved into an icon of Italian glamour, its sinuous form symbolizing transformation and seduction. Crafted in gleaming 18k white gold, the Serpenti choker wraps gracefully around the neck, its flexible structure adorned with approximately 75.50 carats of meticulously hand-set pavé diamonds. Worn by A-listers such as Priyanka Chopra, who showcased the $43 million Serpenti Aeterna necklace featuring over 140 carats of diamonds, the Serpenti continues to captivate on red carpets and beyond.

More Red Carpet Inspiration

Zendaya attends the 74th Primetime Emmys on September 12, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Getty Images)

Margot Robbie attends the World Premiere Of “Barbie” on July 09, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Getty Images)

Ariana Grande celebrates the Australian premiere of “Wicked” on November 03, 2024 in Sydney, Australia. (Getty Images)

Jodie Turner-Smith at the 79th Venice International Film Festival on September 01, 2022 in Venice, Italy. (Getty Images)

met gala 2022 gilded glamour diamond jewelry emma chamberlain cartier louis vuitton

Emma Chamberlain attends The 2022 Met Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 02, 2022 in New York City. (Getty Images)

Taylor Russell attends the “The Room Next Door” red carpet during the 81st Venice International Film Festival on September 2, 2024 in Venice, Italy. (Getty Images)

Jennifer Lopez attends the Valentino Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2024 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on January 24, 2024 in Paris, France. (Getty Images)