Deadly Marie Antoinette diamonds up for sale

Reuters|Published 5 months ago

A woman wears an 18th century diamond jewel necklace composed of three rows of diamonds finished with a diamond tassel at each end, weighing about 300 carats, during a press preview at Sotheby’s auction house in Geneva. The mysterious necklace made from around 500 diamonds, some of which are believed to have been taken from a piece that contributed to Marie Antoinette’s demise is expected to fetch between $1.8m (about R31m) and $2.5m (more than R43m) when it goes on sale on Wednesday. Picture: AFP

If you have a couple of bucks lying around and want to splash out on some gems for the festive season, here are a couple of “trinkets” up for grabs next week.

One of the most intriguing is a diamond-studded necklace thought to be involved in a scandal that led to the eventual downfall of the last queen of France, Marie Antoinette, is being sold in Geneva next week.

The Georgian-era piece containing 300 carats of diamonds being sold by an Asian private collector in Geneva on Wednesday November 13 is valued between $1.8 million and $2.5m (about R31m to R43m), Sotheby’s said, although it may fetch much more.

The piece was at the centre of a scandal in the 1780s known as the “Diamond Necklace Affair” in which a hard-up noblewoman named Jeanne de la Motte pretended to be the French queen and acquired the necklace in her name without payment.

A subsequent trial found the queen blameless, yet did little to alleviate her growing notoriety for extravagance which helped fuel the French Revolution and Marie Antoinette’s beheading.

“It’s likely or possible that some of these diamonds may have come from the famous diamond necklace that led to the downfall of Marie Antoinette,” said Jessica Wyndham, head of magnificent jewels sales for Sotheby’s.

A staff member holds a Cartier Art Deco Indo-Persian diamond necklace during an auction preview at Christie’s in Geneva. Reuters

“What we’ve seen is that jewellery with a noble provenance can generate a huge amount of excitement,” she added, citing a pearl pendant belonging to the French queen which the auction house sold in 2018 for many times its initial estimate.

The diamonds of the original piece, crafted in 1776, were later sold piecemeal on the black market so are almost impossible to trace. However, some experts say the quality and age of the diamonds point to a match.

A Patek Philippe ‘First Series’ pink gold perpetual calendar chronograph wristwatch with moon phases and case by Wenger, made in 1950, at Sotheby’s auction house in Geneva.The wristwatch is expected to fetch between $2.8 and $5.7 million when it goes on sale at Sotheby’s ‘Treasures of Time’ auction. Picture: AFP

The necklace, which resembles a neck scarf, can be worn open or knotted at the front. One of its previous owners was Britain’s Marquess of Anglesey and a family member wore it on the occasion of Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation, according to Sotheby’s.

“I think it’s one of the most exciting pieces that we’ve had for a long time, not only with the provenance, but the design,” said Wyndham.

A sapphire and diamond necklace, early 20th century of Egyptian revival design centring a cushion-shaped sapphire weighing 18.08 carats at a press preview at Sotheby’s auction house in Geneva. The necklace is expected to fetch between $19.5m and $39m when it goes on sale next week. Picture: AFP

The ‘Maharaja Necklace’ Van Cleef & Arpels diamond transformable necklace made with pear brilliant-cut diamonds of 25.50, 11.24 and 11.13 carats, diamonds of various shapes, 18k white gold, transformable in 7 necklaces, 3 bracelets, 1 brooch and 4 pairs of earrings is photographed during a press preview at Christie's auction house in Geneva. The necklace is expected to fetch between $4 and $5.7m next week. AFP