{"id":7487,"date":"2025-02-01T14:33:02","date_gmt":"2025-02-01T14:33:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/diamondion.com\/royal-connection-marie-antoinette-diamond-necklace-auction\/"},"modified":"2025-02-01T14:49:56","modified_gmt":"2025-02-01T14:49:56","slug":"royal-connection-marie-antoinette-diamond-necklace-auction","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/diamondion.com\/royal-connection-marie-antoinette-diamond-necklace-auction\/","title":{"rendered":"Royal Connection: Historic Marie Antoinette Diamond Necklace Fetches \u00a33.8m at Auction"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>A <strong>historic diamond necklace<\/strong> connected to <strong>Marie Antoinette<\/strong> sold for \u00a33.8 million ($4.79 million) at Sotheby&#8217;s Geneva auction, surpassing its estimated value of $2.8 million. The piece features over 500 diamonds, some believed to originate from the French queen&#8217;s original collection, and measures 26 inches in length. After spending five decades in private Asian ownership, the necklace&#8217;s successful sale demonstrates the enduring value of <strong>royal jewelry<\/strong> with compelling historical narratives.<\/p>\n<h2>Main Highlights<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Historic diamond necklace sold for $4.79 million at Sotheby&#8217;s Geneva auction, surpassing estimated value of $1.8-2.8 million.<\/li>\n<li>Over 500 diamonds in the necklace are believed to include stones from Marie Antoinette&#8217;s original 1785 necklace.<\/li>\n<li>The necklace features three rows of diamonds with diamond tassels, measuring 26 inches in length.<\/li>\n<li>Independent lab certificates authenticate the diamonds, with many sourced from India&#8217;s historic Golconda mines.<\/li>\n<li>Necklace&#8217;s connection to Marie Antoinette and the Diamond Necklace Affair contributed to the French queen&#8217;s downfall.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25%;\"><iframe style=\"position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%;\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/NjYVFIzZJRE\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p>A <strong>historic diamond necklace<\/strong> with ties to <strong>Marie Antoinette<\/strong> and the infamous 1785 <strong>Affair of the Diamond Necklace<\/strong> has fetched an impressive $4.79 million at <strong>Sotheby&#8217;s Geneva auction<\/strong>. The exceptional piece, featuring over <strong>500 diamonds<\/strong> believed to include stones from the original <strong>scandal-ridden necklace<\/strong>, surpassed its <strong>estimated value<\/strong> of $1.8 to $2.8 million during the prestigious &#8216;Royal and Noble Jewels&#8217; sale on <strong>November 13, 2024<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>The necklace&#8217;s historical significance stems from its connection to one of the most notorious scandals of the <strong>French monarchy<\/strong>. Originally commissioned by <strong>King Louis XV<\/strong> for his mistress, Madame du Barry, the initial piece became entangled in an elaborate scheme orchestrated by <strong>Jeanne de la Motte<\/strong>, who forged letters and impersonated Marie Antoinette to acquire the jewels. After taxes and commissions, the final sale price reached <a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/news\/diamond-necklace-marie-antoinette-sells-4-8-million-auction\/\">4.26 million francs<\/a>. The original masterpiece contained <a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/worldinparis.com\/affair-of-the-diamond-necklace\">647 precious diamonds<\/a> and was valued at an astronomical sum for its time. This scandal eventually contributed to the <strong>French queen&#8217;s downfall<\/strong> and eventual execution in 1793.<\/p>\n<p>The diamond provenance adds considerable value to this remarkable piece, as experts believe the stones originated from the legendary <strong>Golconda mines<\/strong> in India, known for producing the world&#8217;s most pristine and brilliant diamonds. The necklace&#8217;s design features three stunning rows of diamonds, elegantly finished with <strong>diamond tassels<\/strong> at each end, showcasing the exceptional craftsmanship of the <strong>Georgian era<\/strong>. Each stone was carefully assessed using <a href=\"https:\/\/diamondion.com\/natural-diamond-jewellery\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">independent lab certificates<\/a> to verify its authenticity and value. The complete piece spans an impressive <a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/news.artnet.com\/market\/diamond-necklace-marie-antoinette-auction-result-2569637\">26 inches in length<\/a>. Prior to the Geneva auction, the necklace embarked on a <a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/news\/mysterious-diamond-necklace-marie-antoinette-auction\/\">global exhibition tour<\/a>, making stops in London, Hong Kong, New York, and Taiwan. The versatile piece can be worn either <a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.smithsonianmag.com\/smart-news\/see-the-dazzling-diamond-necklace-with-possible-ties-to-marie-antoinette-that-just-sold-for-48-million-180985484\/\">open at the neck or crossed<\/a> like an elegant scarf.<\/p>\n<p>Having remained in <strong>private hands<\/strong> for five decades, the necklace emerged from an <strong>Asian collection<\/strong> to make its first public appearance in 50 years. Its illustrious history includes being worn at two <strong>British coronations<\/strong> and passing through distinguished families, including the Marquesses of Anglesey, further cementing its place in <strong>royal history<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>The competitive bidding at Sotheby&#8217;s Geneva demonstrated the enduring charm of <strong>historical jewels<\/strong> with significant provenances. The successful buyer, a private collector bidding via phone, was described as &#8220;ecstatic&#8221; by Sotheby&#8217;s representatives. This enthusiasm reflects the growing market for jewelry pieces with documented connections to notable historical figures and events.<\/p>\n<p>Sotheby&#8217;s experts have hailed the necklace as an &#8220;incredible survivor of history,&#8221; noting its exceptional preservation as a complete Georgian-era piece. The sale underscores the continuing fascination with Marie Antoinette&#8217;s legacy and the enduring attraction of jewelry associated with European royalty.<\/p>\n<p>This remarkable transaction not merely represents a significant moment in the auction world but also serves as an indication of the lasting value of historical jewels that carry compelling stories of intrigue, scandal, and royal heritage.<\/p>\n<p>The necklace stands as a tangible link to a pivotal moment in French history, combining exquisite craftsmanship with a fascinating narrative that continues to captivate collectors and historians alike. Its sale at nearly $4.79 million confirms the premium that collectors place on pieces with both exceptional quality and documented historical significance.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Known for its connection to Marie Antoinette, a historic diamond necklace with over 500 gems fetched millions at auction, but its story holds deeper secrets.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7486,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1703],"tags":[3133,807,3132,3131],"class_list":["post-7487","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-antique-jewellery","tag-auction-results","tag-diamond-jewellery","tag-diamond-necklace-2","tag-marie-antoinette"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/diamondion.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7487","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/diamondion.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/diamondion.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/diamondion.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/diamondion.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7487"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/diamondion.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7487\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7488,"href":"https:\/\/diamondion.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7487\/revisions\/7488"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/diamondion.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7486"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/diamondion.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7487"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/diamondion.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7487"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/diamondion.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7487"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}