Napoleon's Lost Diamond Brooch Sells for $4.4 Million at Geneva Auction
A historic diamond brooch, lost by Napoleon during the Battle of Waterloo, fetched $4.4 million at a Sotheby's auction in Geneva, significantly exceeding its pre-sale estimate.
Overview
- A diamond brooch, historically lost by Napoleon during the Battle of Waterloo, was recently sold at a Sotheby's auction in Geneva for an impressive $4.4 million.
- The valuable jewel, featuring an oval diamond exceeding 13 carats surrounded by smaller cut diamonds, was part of the Prussian Royal House of Hohenzollern collection.
- The auction price of $4.4 million, equivalent to over 3.5 million Swiss francs, significantly surpassed its high-end pre-sale estimate by 17 times.
- Sotheby's managed the sale, with the hammer price reaching 2.85 million francs before additional fees, though the identities of both the seller and buyer remain undisclosed.
- The sale garnered increased interest, possibly due to a recent robbery of Napoleonic jewels from the Louvre museum, highlighting the enduring allure of such historical artifacts.
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Analysis
Center-leaning sources cover this story neutrally, focusing on factual reporting of the auction event. They present the details of the sale, the historical provenance of the items, and the financial outcomes without injecting editorial bias or loaded language. The inclusion of an expert's quote provides market context rather than shaping a particular narrative, demonstrating balanced reporting.
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FAQ
Napoleon's diamond brooch symbolizes imperial grandeur from the height of his reign, was lost during his defeat and retreat at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, and subsequently became a war trophy given to King Frederick William III of Prussia, representing a major shift in European power.
The brooch, created around 1810, features a 13.04-carat oval diamond at its center surrounded by nearly 100 antique mined diamonds arranged in two concentric rows. It was likely designed to adorn Napoleon's bicorn hat on special occasions.
The diamond brooch sold for $4.4 million (over 3.5 million Swiss francs), which was 17 times higher than its high-end pre-sale estimate of approximately $250,000.
The auction was managed by Sotheby's in Geneva. The identities of both the seller and buyer of the brooch remain undisclosed.
Alongside the brooch, an unmounted 132.66-carat emerald that Emperor Napoleon I wore at his coronation in 1804, also historically connected to the House of Hohenzollern, was up for auction with a starting price estimated between $39,000 and $59,000.
History
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