Sotheby’s To Offer 18th-Century Diamond Necklace, a ‘Sublime Survivor’
The jewel, which was worn to two British coronations and may contain diamonds tied to Marie Antoinette, could sell for almost $3 million.

London—The star of Sotheby’s upcoming jewelry auction is a rare 18th-century diamond necklace that hasn’t been seen in public in five decades and may have a connection to Marie Antoinette’s undoing.
The Georgian-era piece is composed of three rows of diamonds totaling approximately 300 carats, with a diamond tassel at each end.
Making its debut at auction from a private collection in Asia, the necklace is estimated to sell for 1.6 million to 2.4 million CHF ($1.8 million to $2.8 million).
While its exact origin story is not known, Sotheby’s said the piece likely was created in the decade preceding the French Revolution, which took place from 1789-1799.
The auction house has described the piece as one of the rarest and most historically important diamond necklaces ever to come to auction, having remained “miraculously intact” since its creation more than two centuries ago.
The necklace could only have been created for royalty or a high-ranking aristocrat at a court of the Ancien régime, most likely the French or English court, Sotheby’s said.
It once belonged to the Marquesses of Anglesey, a leading Anglo-Welsh aristocratic family with close ties to the British Royal family in the early 20th century, and it has been worn to at least two British coronations.
Marjorie Paget, Marchioness of Anglesey—eldest daughter of Henry Manners, eighth Duke of Rutland, and wife of the sixth Marquess of Anglesey—wore the necklace to the coronation of King George VI in 1937, along with the famous Anglesey tiara.

In 1953, her daughter-in-law, the seventh Marquess of Anglesey, wore the same suite of jewels to the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.

She parted with the piece sometime in the 1960s, Sotheby’s said.
In 1976, it was exhibited in the Bicentennial Exhibition at the American Museum of Natural History in New York before being acquired by the private collector who has owned it ever since.
Jewels from the Georgian era (1714-1830s) are characterized by opulence and versatility, exemplified in the diamond necklace, also known as a négligée, which can be worn around the neck with the tassels hanging or tied in a simple knot.
The diamonds in this particular piece are all old mine brilliant cuts, each weighing 1 to 1.5 carats, and likely were sourced from the Golconda mines in India.
Golconda diamonds, found in the 4th century B.C., were the first diamonds in the world to be discovered.

Though India’s famed diamond mines ran dry nearly 200 years ago, Sotheby’s said Golconda diamonds are still considered to be the “purest and most dazzling” diamonds ever mined.
Some of the diamonds in the piece, according to the auction house, may have come from the famous necklace at the center of the “Affair of the Necklace” scandal (pictured below), which led to the rise of the French revolution and, eventually, Marie Antoinette’s execution in 1793.
Embed from Getty Images
“This rare and important diamond jewel is a sublime survivor from the opulent court life of the Georgian era, defined by its unrivalled pomp and splendor; it is arguably one of the most magnificent and intact Georgian jewels in private hands,” said Andres White Correal, Sotheby’s chairman and head of noble jewels for Europe and the Middle East.
“When compared to other surviving imperial and royal jewels from the same period, this necklace stands head and shoulders above these examples; it is a fortune in diamonds, and also a masterclass in exquisite design, workmanship and technical innovation for the period.”
Correal added, “The jewel is as relevant, alluring, and appealing today as when it was made over two centuries ago. It is the nec plus ultra of 18th-century jewelry design.”
Prior to the auction in November, the necklace will go on a global tour.
It will begin with a public exhibition at Sotheby’s New Bond Street in London from Sept. 24-25, followed by Sotheby’s Maison in Hong Kong (Oct. 3-5); Sotheby’s New York (Oct. 9-10); Singapore’s Conrad Singapore Orchard Hotel (Oct. 18-19); the Hua Nan Bank International Convention Centre in Taipei (Oct. 21-22); and Sotheby’s Dubai (Oct. 28-30).
Sotheby’s Royal and Noble Jewels sale will take place live on Nov. 13 at Geneva’s Mandarin Oriental, while online bidding will begin Oct. 25.
The auction house’s Magnificent Jewels sale is also scheduled for Nov. 13.
The Latest

From Doja Cat to Mikey Madison and Selena Gomez, many of this year’s Academy Awards attendees donned drop necklaces.

Originally slated to take effect in April, official U.S. Customs and Border Protection documents now show the implementation date as “TBD.”

The recent jump in the prices of household staples, like eggs, and the potential impact of tariffs worried consumers.

Emergencies can happen anytime, anywhere , and Jewelers of America has what you need to be prepared for it all.

The application period for the program is now open for aspiring gemologists around the world.


The work of Indigenous designer Joe Big Mountain, these earrings are similar to the pair Lily Gladstone just wore to the SAG Awards.

Fine jewelry consultant and publicist Francesca Simons joins Amanda Gizzi and Natalie Francisco to discuss the trends set to rise this year.

The jewelry industry faces challenges from lab-grown diamonds. A diamond ETF can restore natural diamonds' value and drive investor demand.

Harlow’s partner, NBA player Kyle Kuzma, worked with Vobara to design the ring, which features oval and pear-shaped diamonds.

The Danish jeweler released the next chapter of its “Be Love” campaign, which celebrates love in all its forms.

The 13 lots on offer were comprised of material that previously went unsold at the miner’s November auction.

The learning workshop and the convention are both scheduled to take place April 26 and 27 in Montgomery, Alabama.

The EU, like the U.S., also now will require diamond importers to provide information about where exactly the diamonds were mined.

The formal signing of the agreement comes nearly two years after De Beers and Botswana initially announced they had reached a new deal.

The charity will celebrate Pandora CEO Alexander Lacik and Brilliant Earth CEO Beth Gerstein at its annual event in Las Vegas.

Retailers need to have the right merchandise, marketing, and people in place to stay on top in a sea of uncertainty, Peter Smith writes.

Senior Editor Lenore Fedow traveled to Smyth Jewelers in Maryland to see the first of 15 revamped in-store boutiques Tacori is rolling out.

The parent company of HSN and QVC is undergoing a restructuring.

The company’s newest brand ambassador Eiza González will also be featured in the ads for the women’s campaign.

Declining supply and growing demand persist in the colored gemstone market, presenters from Gemworld said at AGTA GemFair Tucson.

The designer’s new patent transforms the everyday clasp into her jumbo “Lobster Clasp,” modeled after the look of a crustacean’s claw.

Kenewendo, Botswana’s minister of minerals and energy, will discuss the future of diamonds.

Sales at the Rio Tinto-owned mine also slid by a double-digit percentage, falling 37 percent in a difficult market for diamonds.

Heidi Gardner, an SNL cast member, wore the smoky quartz earrings on the “SNL50: The Anniversary Special” red carpet on Sunday.

The reversal comes less than two months after the Zambian government reinstated the tax in an effort to bring in more money.

The organization also announced its newly elected officers and directors.

As anticipated, Anglo took another impairment charge on the diamond miner and marketer, which saw revenue sink 23 percent in 2024.