In the glint of a single diamond lies a chapter of history: one worn not for celebration, but for retreat. A remarkable jewel—a circular brooch or pendant once belonging to Napoleon I—has sold at auction for about $4.4 million, far exceeding its modest pre-sale estimate.
This brooch, dating to around 1810, features an oval central diamond weighing over 13 carats, surrounded by smaller old-mine and mazarin-cut diamonds. Its story is entwined with one of the most dramatic moments of European history: the aftermath of the Battle of Waterloo in June 1815. According to the auction house Sotheby’s, the brooch was among the personal belongings that Napoleon abandoned when his carriages became mired in muddy roads during the hastened retreat of his forces. The trophies eventually entered the collection of the Prussian royal family (the Hohenzollern family) and remained in their holdings for more than two centuries.
At the Geneva auction, the brooch far surpassed its pre-sale estimate of 120,000-200,000 Swiss francs (roughly $130,000-$215,000) by selling for a hammer price of 2.85 million CHF (~$4.4 million inclusive of fees). The buyer remains a private collector, and the seller’s identity was not disclosed.
The sale highlights the fascination that collectors hold for objects with documented provenance to historic figures, especially when the story behind those objects is dramatic. In this case: haste, defeat, abandonment and the transfer of imperial possessions. As one gem expert observed, the appeal of “Napoleonic jewels” has surged after recent high-profile thefts and museum jewels heists.
In the final analysis, this brooch is far more than a piece of jewellery. It is a silent witness to empire, to flight, to the transfer of power, and to the centuries it spent in royal hands. When sold, it moved not only in the marketplace of gems, but in the marketplace of memory.
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Sources Associated Press (via AP News) CBS News (AP) Town & Country Magazine Sotheby’s official auction lot listing Country Life magazine