A mausoleum, diamonds for a seven-year-old, and other things: the most expensive gifts of the rich and Trump's "golden toilet"

New Year is a time when we look for gifts that can surprise our loved ones. But in the world of big money, there are people for whom "to impress" means a completely different scale. Billionaires give yachts, diamonds, and even architectural masterpieces (that will last for centuries), not only for holidays, but also for weddings, birthdays, or just on a whim.Some of these gifts have gone down in history as symbols of love, status, or simply grand generosity.LIGA.net prepare a selection of the most expensive and extravagant gifts that definitely won't fit under the Christmas tree.The Taj Mahal – a marble masterpiece for 768 million eurosOne of India's most famous symbols was once not a tourist gem, but a lavish gift from a husband to his beloved. The Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan built The Taj Mahal was built in honor of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died during the birth of their 14th child.Construction lasted 21 years, from 1632 to 1653. The enormous marble mausoleum became not only a monument to love, but also the final resting place of the emperor himself.Today, this "gift of the heart" is valued at approximately 768 million euros and is included in the UNESCO World Heritage list.Two legendary diamonds for one heiress.In 1908, gold mining multimillionaire Thomas Walsh gave as a gift He gave his daughter Evelyn a luxurious 94.8-carat diamond, the "Star of the East," for her wedding, which he bought from Cartier for $120,000 at the time.Three years later, her husband, the heir, The Washington Post Edward McLean returned to Cartier and purchased another legendary stone for Evelyn – the 45.52-carat Hope Diamond for $300,000 (approximately $7.6 million in today's prices).Evelyn wore both diamonds often and ostentatiously—sometimes she even put the "Hope" on her Great Dane's collar during receptions.After her death, jeweler Harry Winston bought both stones. In 1958, he donated the Hope Diamond to the Smithsonian Institution, where it is still on display (insured value – $250 million). The whereabouts of the Star of the East are currently unknown – another intrigue in the world of great jewels.Joseph Lau and his precious "gifts to Josephine"Hong Kong billionaire Joseph Lau became famous by buying rare gemstones… for his little daughter. In just two days, he spent over $76 million: first, he bought a unique 16.08-carat pink diamond from Christie's for $28.5 million, naming it "Sweet Josephine," and the next day, at Sotheby's, he acquired a blue 12.03-carat stone for a record-breaking $48.4 million, instantly renaming it "Blue Moon of Josephine." Both diamonds set auction sales records, and this is not the first time Lau has delighted his daughter with jewelry treasures – he previously bought her another rare blue stone for $9.5 million.$1.5 million for the "most expensive friend"Chinese business magnate laid out, presented, explained $1.5 million for a purebred red Tibetan Mastiff named Big Splash – today it is the most expensive dog in the world. The new owner, rumored to be a coal magnate, will definitely need a lot of space: the 11-month-old "puppy" already weighed 80 kg and continued to grow.The breeder called Big Splash "a perfect specimen" and explained the price by the high costs of raising him. In China, Tibetan mastiffs have long been a status symbol: the wealthy buy them as readily as they buy supercars or jewelry.The breed had already set records before this – mastiffs have been sold for hundreds of thousands and even almost $1.47 million on multiple occasions.A private jet for my wife's birthday.Mukesh Ambani, one of India's wealthiest people, famous with his generous gestures. In 2007, he gifted his wife Nita a luxurious private Airbus A319 jet worth about $60 million for her 44th birthday. The airliner was custom-designed and produced in a limited series – especially for her. The gift instantly became a sensation and caused much controversy, but it perfectly demonstrated the scale of Ambani's ambitions.Half a billion for a dream superyachtJeff Bezos, one of the wealthiest people on the planet, ordered He gave himself (and in fact, his beloved Lauren Sanchez) a luxurious gift: the superyacht Koru, worth $500 million. It is the largest sailing yacht in the world – 417 feet long – so huge that it couldn't even be moored next to other private vessels in Florida.In addition to Koru, he also purchased the "support" yacht Abeona for $75 million, which features a helipad. Koru boasts a swimming pool, jacuzzi, cinema, spa, and cabins for 18 guests. The yacht is designed in a classic style and has already hosted guests such as Leonardo DiCaprio and Katy Perry.Cubism for $1.1 billion – a gift to the museumIn 2003, cosmetics magnate Leonard Lauder did In an unprecedented gesture, he donated his collection of Cubist masterpieces, valued at $1.1 billion, to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. It included works by Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque, Juan Gris, and Fernand Léger, and it became the largest art donation in history.Cartier pearl necklace for a mansion on Fifth AvenueOne of the most famous and, at the same time, most unsuccessful gifts in the history of luxury. happened in 1917, when New York banker Morton F. Plant agreed to trade his six-story mansion at the corner of Fifth Avenue and 52nd Street for a luxurious double-strand Cartier pearl necklace. Its value was then estimated at approximately $1 million – by modern calculations, that's over $20 million.The gift was intended for his young wife, May Plant, who adored natural pearls – one of the most expensive jewelry materials at a time when cultured pearls practically did not exist.But in just a few years, the situation changed dramatically: the advent of cultured pearl technology, pioneered by Kokichi Mikimoto, caused a sharp drop in the price of natural pearls. When May Plant died in 1956, the famous necklace sold for only $150,000 – many times less than it was worth at the time of the exchange.Instead, the building turned out to be a real treasure: the former Plant mansion became Cartier's flagship boutique in New York and is now valued at hundreds of millions of dollars. This exchange is considered one of the most financially unsuccessful of the 20th century, and the necklace itself is one of the most expensive and iconic gifts of its time.Bonus: Trump's "Golden Toilet"This story is not about a gift, but it is definitely worth your attention.In 2018, Donald Trump and his wife Melania contacted to the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, requesting to borrow Van Gogh's painting "Snowy Landscape" for the White House.The museum refused to provide the painting, citing restrictions related to the collection.Instead, museum curator Nancy Spector offered the White House another exhibit for long-term loan – a fully functional toilet made of 18-karat gold called "America." This is a work by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, which is a satire on excessive wealth.However, the White House did not accept this proposal.Read alsoThe most expensive weddings in history: 5,500 drones, camels, and the endless luxury of Bezos, Ambani, and Charles

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