Necklace linked to Marie-Antoinette sold for 4.5 million euros

A historic 300-carat necklace, allegedly linked to Marie-Antoinette, was sold at auction by Sotheby’s for 4.5 million euros, far exceeding its initial estimate.

An exceptional sale

On Wednesday November 13, Sotheby’s held a fine jewelry auction in Geneva, where this unique jewel was the main attraction. Described as “one of the rarest and most historically significant diamond necklaces”, it sold for an exceptional sum. The necklace can be worn in two ways: knotted like a tie or placed around the neck. Personalities such as Shirley Paget, Marquise d’Anglesey, have worn it to landmark events, including the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.

A controversial link with Marie-Antoinette

Although Sotheby’s refers to a connection with the famous queen, it turns out that only some of the diamonds in the necklace could have come from the infamous “Queen’s Necklace”. This scandalous piece of jewelry, dating from the 1780s, is at the heart of one of history’s greatest deception cases.

In 1785, Cardinal de Rohan, seeking to regain Marie-Antoinette’s favor, tries to buy a sumptuous necklace for her. Manipulated by Jeanne de La Motte, a swindler posing as a relative of the queen, he falls into a trap. The necklace, made up of 650 diamonds and weighing 2800 carats, disappears. When the jewelers demand their due, a state scandal erupts. The Queen, unjustly implicated, becomes the target of public opinion, accelerating her unpopularity and indirectly contributing to the French Revolution.

A new life for a legendary jewel

According to Sotheby’s, the original diamonds were sold and used to create other jewels, including the Anglesey’s, now sold at auction. This blend of history, scandal and jewelry makes it both fascinating and priceless.

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