18th-Century Diamond Necklace Sells for Nearly $5M
Sotheby’s sold the necklace, which potentially has ties to Marie-Antoinette, for $4.8 million to a woman bidding via phone.
The necklace, the crown jewel of Sotheby’s “Royal and Noble Jewels” sale held Wednesday in Geneva, sold for $4.8 million to the woman, identified only as an “international private collector.”
Its pre-sale estimate was $1.8 million to $2.8 million.
The necklace, which contains more than 500 collet-set old cushion-shaped and circular-cut diamonds, was made sometime in the decade before the French Revolution—so, between the years 1779 and 1789—Sotheby’s has estimated.
The exact origin of the diamonds, which total more than 300 carats, is unknown.
They are believed to be Golconda diamonds from the famed mines in India of the same name.
They also could be diamonds from the “Affair of the Necklace” necklace, the piece that caused a scandal and further damaged Marie-Antoinette’s reputation and the standing of the French monarchy in the eyes of the public.
The famed “Affair” necklace was broken up and sold in London, and its diamonds would have been on the market around the time this approximately 300-carat necklace was made, likely for royalty or a high-ranking aristocrat of either the French or English court.
The diamond necklace has been worn to at least two British coronations.
Marjorie Paget, Marchioness of Anglesey, donned the piece for the coronation of King George VI in 1937, pairing it with the Anglesey tiara.

Less than two decades later, in 1953, her daughter-in-law, the seventh Marquess of Anglesey, wore the same suite of jewels to the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.
Sotheby’s said the seventh Marquess of Anglesey parted with the piece sometime in the 1960s.
It went on display at the American Museum of Natural History in New York in 1976 as part of the museum’s Bicentennial Exhibition before being acquired by a private collector in Asia, who has owned it until now.
When Sotheby’s announced earlier this fall that it would be offering the 18th-century necklace at auction, it marked the first time the piece had been seen in public in 50 years.
Sotheby’s “Royal and Noble Jewels” auction was a “white-glove sale,” meaning all the lots were sold, and 83 percent of the lots exceeded their high estimates.
The auction house held the sale in conjunction with “Magnificent Jewels” Wednesday in Geneva, with both sales totaling $30.7 million.
Sotheby’s said this “Royal and Noble Jewels” sale was the first in the auction category to include lots from various owners.
The offering of the 18th-century necklace took place alongside the single-owner sale “A Tsar’s Treasure: Ferdinand of Bulgaria (1861-1948).”
More details about the results of that sale will be covered in a separate article.
“The extraordinary results of today’s sale represent Sotheby’s ‘Royal and Noble Jewels’ sales at their apex. With yet another white-glove auction, these sales demonstrate the lasting power of provenance,” said Andres White Correal, Sotheby’s chairman of jewelry in Europe and the Middle East and head of Noble Jewels.
He continued, “Meticulously collected over generations, ‘A Tsar’s Treasure’ provided an intimate glimpse into one of Central Europe’s most important royal families, and one of the greatest jewelry collectors of the 19th and 20th centuries.
“While there were innumerable results worth celebrating, as a career highlight, the Anglesey jewel stands sans pareil. From the moment we laid eyes on it, our entire team was transfixed by its beauty, its history, and its timelessness. The electricity in the sales room was palpable, and it will be one of my fondest memories to have been on the phone, helping to find its new home.”
The Latest

It will quit assigning the stones specific color and clarity grades in favor of applying “new descriptive terminology.”

From design trends to sustainability, here’s a roundup of can’t-miss education sessions at JCK Las Vegas.

The Jewelers’ Security Alliance offers advice for those attending the annual trade shows.

When investing in your jewelry business, it's important not to overlook the most crucial element of success: the sales associates.

Her new role is director of strategic initiatives.


The entrepreneur and “Shark Tank” star will share his top tips for success.

The designer is embracing bold pieces with weight to them in “AU79,” a collection she celebrated with a creative launch party.

More shoppers are walking out without buying. Here’s how smart jewelers can bring them back—and the tool they need to do it right.

On an earnings call, CEO J.K. Symancyk discussed what’s working for the company and how it’s preparing for the potential impact of tariffs.

The index partially rebounded after months of decline, due in part to the U.S.-China deal to temporarily reduce import tariffs.

The actress stars in the latest campaign set in Venice, Italy, and is set to participate in other creative initiatives for the jeweler.

The company has joined other labs, including GIA and Lotus Gemology, in adopting the Chinese term for "jadeite jade."

The large stone will be offered at its June sale along with a selection of secondary-type rubies from a new area of the Montepuez mine.

Located in Bangkok, the laboratory is Gemological Science International’s 14th location worldwide.

Those born in June have a myriad of options for their birthstone jewelry.

The diamond industry veteran has been named its senior sales executive.

The company plans to raise the prices of select watches to offset the impact of tariffs.

Between tariffs and the sky-high cost of gold, designers enter this year’s Las Vegas shows with a lot of questions and few answers.

Designed by founder Renato and his daughter Serena Cipullo, it showcases a flame motif representing unity and the power of gathering.

However, the tariffs remain in effect in the short term, as an appeals court has stayed the U.S. Court of International Trade’s decision.

The pop icon is one step closer to launching her “B Tiny” jewelry collection, a collection she first began posting about last fall.

Sponsored by Stuller

It was featured in the miner’s latest sale, which brought in $24.8 million.

GemText AI uses artificial intelligence to generate tailored product titles, descriptions, and tags with jewelry-specific language.

The 3,300-square foot location is the jeweler's largest store in North America.

Aging and with myriad health issues, none will serve time for their roles in robbing the billionaire celebrity at gunpoint in 2016.

The WNBA team received rings imbued with meaning, from leaf motifs and its Liberty torch to the number of diamonds used.