With nearly 500 300-carat diamonds, exceptional fluidity and a halo of mystery, an 18th century necklace is enough to make you lose your mind. It was awarded 4.5 million euros on Wednesday in Geneva.
The neglected item, which has survived the centuries intact by “a miracle”, according to Andres White Correal, head of the jewelry department at Sotheby’s Europe, was estimated at between 1.8 and 2.8 million dollars.
The buyer who wished to remain anonymous and made her offer by telephone is “overjoyed”Mr. White Correal told AFP.
“She was ready to fight, and she did”he said, adding that it was a “electric night”.
“There is clearly a niche in the market for historic jewelry with fabulous provenance (…) People are not just buying the item, they are also buying the whole story attached to it”he added.
These objects which bear witness to the life of Marie-Antoinette
To add to the appeal of this exceptional piece, some of the diamonds that make up the necklace are said to come from a jewel at the center of the famous “Queen’s Necklace Affair” which had further tarnished Marie-Antoinette’s reputation.
“This spectacular antique gem is an incredible survivor of history”underlines Sotheby’s in a press release presenting the sale.
The necklace made up of three rivers of diamonds ends at both ends with two impressive pompoms.
The design highlights the transparency of the precious stones and gives great flexibility to this piece from the Georgian era. “rare and very important”according to the auction house.
“The jewel passed from family to family. We can start at the beginning of the 20th century, when it was part of the collection of the Marquess of Anglesey”specified Mr. White Correal.
Members of this aristocratic family are said to have worn the jewel twice in public: once during the coronation of King George VI in 1937 and once during the coronation of his daughter Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.
A jewel with mysterious origins
Beyond that, little is known about the necklace, the jeweler who designed it and the original customer.
But the opulence of the room necessarily reserved it for royal families, of high nobility or immensely rich.
“It is a masterpiece of the Georgian era and a masterful lesson in design, manufacturing and technical innovation for the era”écrit M. White Correal.
“Today it is as relevant, alluring and appealing as when it was first created over two hundred years ago. Quite simply, this piece of jewelry is the pinnacle of 18th century jewelry design.”he adds.
According to Sotheby’s, its diamonds likely came from the legendary Golconda mines in India, considered to produce the purest diamonds in the world.
“The lucky buyer left with a spectacular historical piece”said Tobias Kormind, director of 77 Diamonds, Europe’s largest online jeweler.
“With diamonds of exceptional quality from the legendary Indian mines of Golconda, now extinct, the story of a possible connection to Marie Antoinette and the fact that it was worn at two coronations, all this makes this necklace really special”he added.
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