An 18th-century necklace worn to Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation has gone under the hammer at an auction in Geneva for GBP 3.79 million.
The historical bejewelled necklace with 300 carats of diamonds has changed hands for the first time in 50 years after it was sold for CHF 4,260,000 (GBP 3.79 million) by Sotheby’s.
The identity of the new owner of the Anglesey Diamond Neglige has not been disclosed.
The necklace might be linked to the legendary Collier de La Reine from the infamous ‘Affair of the Diamond Necklace‘.
It was a scandal that unfolded between 1784 and 1785 at the court of France’s ill-fated Louis XVI and involved his queen, Marie Antoinette.
Already plagued by court gossip, the Queen’s reputation suffered further damage when she was falsely accused of orchestrating a scheme to defraud the Crown’s jewellers by acquiring an extravagant diamond necklace that she was was then rumoured to have failed to pay for.
In truth, she had rejected the idea of purchasing the necklace. It was only later discovered her signature was forged by Jeanne de Valois-Saint-Remy.
Although the latter was eventually convicted, the scandal significantly contributed to growing public disillusionment with the monarchy.
It became one of the key events that eroded the monarchy’s moral authority and galvanised popular support for the French Revolution.
Sotheby’s said that the necklace once belonged to the Marquesses of Anglesey, a “prominent Anglo-Welsh aristocratic family with close ties to the British Royal Family”.
Marjorie Paget, Marchioness of Anglesey, wore the jewel in 1937 to the coronation of King George VI before her daughter-in-law wore them to Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953.
Sotheby’s Geneva said in a 13th November statement: “After weeks of growing anticipation, Sotheby’s Royal and Noble’s top lot, a rare and highly important 18th-century diamond necklace, formerly in the collection of the Marquess of Anglesey, created a sensation by selling for 4,260,000 CHF / 4,837,060 USD against an estimate of 1,600,000 – 2,200,000 CHF — more than twice its low estimate.”
Seven bidders engaged in a fierce bidding battle lasting over seven tense minutes, the auction house said.
It went to an anonymous winning bidder who Sotheby’s said “now possesses one of the most talked-about necklaces of the year” that emerged “miraculously intact from an important private Asian collection”.
The necklace made its first public appearance in 50 years when Sotheby’s unveiled it in London in September.
Sotheby’s said that the spectacular antique piece was “a remarkable survivor of history, boasting 500 diamonds and weighing over 300 carats”.
The diamonds are believed to have been sourced from the “legendary Golconda mines in India”.
The auction house added: “A stunning piece from the Georgian era, the necklace comprises three rows of diamonds finished with a diamond tassel at each end.
“Such an important and historic jewel could only have been created for royalty or a high-ranking aristocrat at the glittering courts of the ancient regime, likely the French or English court.
“While its precise origin story remains unclear, existing evidence suggests several possibilities, including links to the Affair of the Necklace and its diamonds.”
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Story By: Joseph Golder, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Newsflash
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