The diamond brooch that sometimes adorned Napoleon’s famous horned hat, which the French emperor was forced to abandon during his journey after the defeat of Waterloo, was sold on Wednesday at an auction in Geneva for 3.52 million francs (3.8 million euros). According to figures issued by the British house Sotheby’s, which sold these and other jewelry at a public auction in the Swiss city, Expectations have been far exceeded When sold, this historic piece, with a retail value of between 120,000 and 200,000 francs (129,000 to 216,000 euros).
Round brooch with a diameter of 45 mm Large oval diamond Weighing 13.04 carats, it is surrounded by nearly a hundred diamonds of various shapes and sizes arranged in two concentric rows. He was in one of the carriages stuck on a muddy road a few kilometers from the battlefield of Waterloo (present-day Belgium), through which Napoleon’s entourage was trying to escape after the defeat in 1815. The end of his attempt to revive the empire.
In that car, the Emperor was trying to rescue other valuable possessions, such as medals, weapons, tableware, a hat, and a jewelry box containing dozens of diamonds. Brooch It was presented as a war trophy To King William III of Prussia, it was part of his family’s Hohenzollern legacy for decades, although it recently passed to another private collection whose identity has not been revealed.
The brooch was the piece that achieved the highest price in the morning session of the Sotheby’s auction, dedicated to European noble jewelry and other historical pieces. A high price of 2.91 million Swiss francs (3.15 million euros) was also obtained, with the piece being sold to the highest bidder. 13.83 carat pink diamond ring Which was owned by Empress Catherine I of Russia and later by several Ottoman sultans.
About The Author
