"The Royal & Noble Jewels by Sotheby's, which held its third edition this Wednesday, November 12, has already become a firmly established event for luxury collectors. Each year, they gather in the city of Geneva to bid on jewels of great historical interest pieces that for centuries belonged to noble and royal houses throughout Europe and, in many cases, had been kept in private collections until their owners decided to sell them."
"In 2025, after the 2024 acquisition of a rare and historic 18th-century diamond necklace of 300 carats for $4.8 million, Sotheby's had prepared another irresistible treat: a brooch belonging to Napoleon Bonaparte. The jewel sold at auction for $4,380,534. The piece, which came to auction with an estimated price of between 130,000 ($151,000) and 216,000 ($250,000), had once adorned the French emperor's bicorne hat on special occasions."
The Royal & Noble Jewels auction in Geneva concluded with record sales and drew luxury collectors from around the world. A circular brooch that once belonged to Napoleon Bonaparte sold for $4,380,534, dramatically exceeding its estimated starting range and increasing its starting price roughly thirtyfold. The brooch was lost during Napoleon's flight from the Battle of Waterloo and became a war trophy for Prussian King Frederick William III. The 45 mm piece features a 13.04-carat oval center diamond surrounded by nearly 100 additional diamonds. Sotheby's continued momentum after a notable 2024 300-carat necklace acquisition for $4.8 million.
Read at english.elpais.com
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