Napoleon’s Lost Diamond Brooch Sells for $4.4 Million at Geneva Auction
A diamond brooch belonging to French Emperor Napoleon, lost during his retreat from the Battle of Waterloo, was sold today for more than $4.4 million (3.5 million Swiss francs) at a Sotheby’s auction in Geneva.
The brooch, which can also be worn as a pendant, features an oval diamond weighing over 13 carats, surrounded by smaller cut diamonds. The final sale price significantly exceeded pre-sale estimates, which topped out at 200,000 francs. The jewel was discovered in Napoleon’s personal belongings left behind in carriages as he fled the Duke of Wellington’s and Field Marshal von Blücher’s forces. For over two centuries, the brooch remained part of the heirlooms of the Prussian Royal House of Hohenzollern.
The auction also included a green beryl, reportedly worn by Napoleon during his 1804 coronation, which sold for 838,000 francs – more than 17 times its estimated value. This sale comes amid heightened interest in Napoleonic artifacts following a recent high-profile robbery at the Louvre Museum in Paris. “Given the recent Louvre heist and the provenance of arguably the most famous French figure in history, I’m not surprised the jewel achieved a majestic 3.5 million francs,” said Tobias Kormind, managing director of online jeweler 77 Diamonds. “The brooch arrives at a moment of renewed global fascination with Napoleonic jewels, and its story is irresistible.”
Notably, a 10-carat pink diamond known as the “Glowing Rose,” expected to fetch around $20 million, was withdrawn from the auction prior to bidding, with Sotheby’s citing discussions with the consignor. The buyer of the Napoleon brooch was identified only as a “private collector,” and Sotheby’s officials have not yet commented on future auctions of similar historical items.
