Editor’s Note
A historic diamond necklace, once worn at Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation, has sold at auction for 4.26 million Swiss francs—nearly double its high estimate. This piece, unseen on the market for half a century, underscores the enduring allure of royal provenance.
A historic diamond necklace with 300 carats of diamonds has changed hands after 50 years. The piece, which was worn, among other occasions, at the coronation of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II, fetched a price of 4.26 million Swiss francs (about 4.5 million euros) at a Sotheby’s auction in Geneva.
The buyer must also pay value-added tax on top of this. The auction house remained silent about the new owners. The estimated price was up to 2.2 million francs.
The necklace consists of three strands of large diamonds with tassels made of additional diamonds at the ends. It is believed to date from the 18th century and is seen in historical pictures around the necks of members of the family of the Marquess of Anglesey, a British-Welsh noble family. A marquess is roughly equivalent to a margrave.
According to the auction house, the jewel had been in the possession of an Asian collector for about 50 years.