Some fictional jewels I wish were real

The notion of a large, priceless gemstone with a storied past has so captured the public's imagination that it has regularly cropped up in various works of fiction, graphic novels, films and even video games.

The Pink Panther Diamond

This gem first appeared as a plot device in the 1963 film The Pink Panther, in which Peter Sellers played the role of a bumbling French detective, Inspector Clouseau. In this movie, the ''Pink Panther'' is a large pink diamond, named for its distinguishing flaw that is shaped like a leaping panther.

Interestingly, in 2013, the Pink Star - a 59.60 carat oval-shaped, flawless pink diamond that was set into a ring - was auctioned off by Sotheby's for a record-breaking $83 million. The auction house played the theme song from The Pink Panther film after this winning bid was placed!

El Corazon

Also known as ''The Heart'', El Corazon is the emerald at the center of the plot in the 1984 adventure flick Romancing The Stone. The size of a man's fist, this jewel fuels an action-packed treasure hunt that ultimately leads to romance!

The Heart of the Ocean

This stone is the fictional blue diamond that graced the neck of Kate Winslet's character, Rose, in the film Titanic. According to the story, the stone was originally owned by Louis XVI, and was presumed lost in the French Revolution. It was cut into the shape of a heart, and later given to Rose DeWitt Bukater by Caledon Hockley as an engagement present.

Historically, there was a blue sapphire pendant on board the Titanic. It was given to Kate Florence Phillips by her married lover, Samuel Morley. The pair were en route to America to carve out a new life for themselves. It is believed that this tragic love story was the inspiration for James Cameron's scripts!

Perhaps inspired by the many legends surrounding real-life stones such as the notorious Hope Diamond, an enormous fictitious gemstone is a sure-fire way to inject a plot line with some drama!