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The R420 million diamond Tiffany necklace Lady Gaga wore at the Oscars has a South African heritage

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Gaga attended the 91st Academy Awards in Los Angeles in a breathtaking black strapless Alexandra McQueen gown, make-up and hair pitch perfect but there was something else that people could not stop talking about.

The superstar wore a 128.54 carat yellow Tiffany & Company necklace worth $30 million (R 419 556 000) and became the third person to ever wear the framed diamond according to Tiffany press site

It was first worn by Mrs Sheldon Whitehouse at the 1957 Tiffany Ball held in Rhode Island.

The second woman to wear it was late style icon Audrey Hepburn for the Breakfast at Tiffany's publicity photo shoot in 1962. 

The executives of the company call the iconic necklace "priceless". 

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Tiffany & Co. says the yellow diamond was discovered in 1877 in the Kimberley mines in South Africa, and was excavated as a rough stone totalling 287.42 carats.

It was then purchased by founder Charles Lewis Tiffany a year later for $18 000 (around R 250 000) and cut into a cushion-shaped diamond featuring 82 radiant facets. 

"The stone’s acquisition solidified Mr. Tiffany’s reputation as the “king of diamonds” and made his enterprise the world’s diamond authority," reads the official statement.

According to Vogue, the exquisite diamond has since been featured at exhibitions in South Africa, London, and Paris.

Gaga’s style team was excited about working with the historic stone that has remained at Tiffany & Co. since its purchase in the 19th century. 

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“The chance to work with such an amazing piece of design and history tonight is a creative dream come true,” Lady Gaga stylists Sandra Amador and Tom Eerebout told The Hollywood Reporter.

“There are so many jewels in the world, but the radiant Tiffany diamond… is truly exceptional, which is just so fitting for Lady Gaga”

It was the first time the diamond had graced an award show red carpet, and Tiffany & Co.’s chief artistic officer Reed Krakoff said he was thrilled that it was Lady Gaga wearing the legendary diamond.

"Lady Gaga is the ultimate creator, innovator and rule breaker" he said in a statement to Vogue.

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