A historic necklace set with nearly 500 diamonds, weighing approximately 300 carats and once part of the Marquess of Anglesey's collection, was showcased during an auction preview at Sotheby's in Geneva, Switzerland, on Thursday.
The Georgian-era piece, containing 300 carats of diamonds, is being sold by an Asian private collector in Geneva on November 13 and is valued at $2.29 million, according to Sotheby's. This diamond-studded necklace is believed to be linked to a scandal that contributed to the downfall of Marie Antoinette, the last queen of France.
The necklace was central to the 'Diamond Necklace Affair' in the 1780s, where a noblewoman named Jeanne de la Motte impersonated the French queen to acquire the necklace without payment. Although the queen was found innocent in the subsequent trial, the scandal did little to quell her reputation for extravagance, which fueled the French Revolution and led to her execution.
Jessica Wyndham, head of magnificent jewels sales at Sotheby's, suggested that some of the diamonds in the necklace might have originated from the infamous piece that contributed to Marie Antoinette's downfall. Wyndham noted that jewelry with a noble provenance often generates significant excitement, referencing a pearl pendant from the French queen that Sotheby's sold in 2018 for far more than its initial estimate.
The original necklace, crafted in 1776, had its diamonds sold piecemeal on the black market, making them nearly impossible to trace. However, the quality and age of the diamonds in the current piece suggest a possible connection. The necklace, designed to resemble a neck scarf, can be worn open or knotted at the front. It was previously owned by Britain's Marquess of Anglesey and was worn by a family member during Queen Elizabeth II's coronation, according to Sotheby's.
Wyndham described the necklace as one of the most exciting pieces they've had in a long time, not only for its provenance but also for its design.
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