“There are things that are rare, there are things that are extremely rare and there are things that are unique. This is unique. It is without a doubt the only papal jewelry to ever come on the market,” says Bill Rau, Owner of M.S. Rau Antiques in the French Quarter.

Two pieces: a seven-inch, Edwardian style pectoral cross and platinum set diamond ring. Now they are on sale at M.S. Rau in the French Quarter but they were once owned by Pope Paul VI. “He gave this to the United Nations to sell to raise money for charity. It took two years to plan the auction. Parke-Bernet, which eventually became Sotheby’s did its own catalog on the two pieces. It went through a couple of owners. Evel Knievel, the very famous daredevil once owned them for a while,” says Rau.

The ring’s center diamond alone is 13.75 carats with fourteen surrounding diamonds and Burma rubies that form a cross on both sides. The 18k gold cross has 60 carats of diamonds plus Colombian emeralds and on the back, the papal coat of arms. The ring is on sale for $650,000 and the cross, $1.25 million dollars.

The pieces are both priceless and mysterious. Experts have never determined the exact origin of the jewelry. “We don’t know who made it. The cross is signed Cassio, which is the area of Rome where all the jewelers were. It was given to this pope by a previous pope, Pope Julius. All we know is that it’s the highest quality of workmanship, forget the stones which are amazing, it’s the highest quality of workmanship you could ever see on a piece of jewelry,” says Rau.

The back of the ring is engraved with the Christian Chi Rho symbol which indicates that both pieces were made in the early nineteen hundreds by Vatican jewelers using gem stones from the Vatican’s collection.

“This is the only example to ever come on the market. This is a piece of history that will never repeat itself,” says Rau.