Former US First Lady Dr Jill Biden has revealed in her new memoir that she considered purchasing a 7.5-carat synthetic diamond gifted to her by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but abandoned the idea after the US State Department appraised the gem at $20,000 — far exceeding the $2,500 bill of sale that Modi had provided at the time of the gift.

The Gift and the Ethics Rules

The disclosure appears in Biden's memoir View from the East Wing: A Memoir, which hit stores this week. In it, she offers a candid account of the strict regulations governing gifts received by America's First Family from foreign dignitaries.

Biden describes the diamond — presented by PM Modi during his June 2023 state visit to Washington — as a symbol of India's ambitions in the lab-grown gems sector. “Sometimes little things — flowers, wine — but sometimes big ones, like the 7.5-carat synthetic diamond Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi handed me at his state visit — a symbol of his country's bid to become a leader in lab-grown gems,” she writes.

Under US federal ethics rules, gifts above a certain value threshold received by public officials or their families are catalogued by the government. Recipients may purchase such gifts only by paying the assessed fair market value.

The $2,500 Price Tag That Became $20,000

Biden writes that Modi himself had indicated the diamond was handmade in his hometown and came with a bill of sale for $2,500. “The prime minister said that it had been handmade in his hometown for $2,500. He even had the bill of sale,” she writes, adding: “I thought, Maybe I’ll buy it.”

That intention changed once the gift entered the formal government review process. “Then the State Department appraised it at $20,000, so I did not,” she writes. The significant gap between the stated price and the official valuation — a difference of $17,500 — effectively placed the diamond out of reach for personal purchase.

How She Wore It Anyway

Biden was permitted to borrow the diamond for official use during her tenure. She had it set into a ring and wore it at official functions. “I was told I could display it in my office or borrow it to wear. So I had it put in a ring setting and wore it to official functions,” she writes.

The arrangement ended when the Bidens left the White House. “When we left office, I gave it back,” she writes. The ring was subsequently returned to government storage. “The ring went into a warehouse along with an infinitude of other presidential gifts, many of which are simply destroyed,” she adds.

Contrast with the Macron Bracelet

Biden draws a pointed contrast with a bracelet gifted to her by French First Lady Brigitte Macron. Because of its sentimental value, she chose to buy that item from the government so she could retain it after leaving office. “I paid the State Department so I could take it with me when we left office. I still wear it every day,” she writes.

She also references other notable gifts received during her tenure, including a brooch made by Ukraine from bomb shrapnel, which officials valued at $14,063.

Context: Modi's 2023 State Visit

PM Modi's state visit to the United States in June 2023 was among the most consequential diplomatic engagements between New Delhi and Washington during the Biden administration. More than 10,000 Indian Americans attended events at the White House. The visit featured a state dinner and underscored deepening cooperation between the two countries in defence, technology, semiconductors, and strategic affairs.

The memoir's account of the diamond episode illustrates the often-misunderstood financial and ethical constraints of White House life — and the fine line between diplomatic symbolism and personal benefit that America's First Family must navigate.