Editor’s Note
A historic diamond necklace, with stones linked to the scandal that damaged Marie Antoinette’s reputation, has sold at auction for $4.79 million, far exceeding expectations.
A diamond necklace believed to contain stones from the infamous “Affair of the Diamond Necklace” that tarnished the reputation of Marie Antoinette was sold at a Sotheby’s auction in Geneva for $4.79 million (approximately 740 million yen), nearly double its pre-sale estimate.
The necklace itself was not worn by Marie Antoinette. However, it is thought to incorporate diamonds from the original 1785 necklace at the center of a scandalous fraud. The “Affair of the Diamond Necklace” involved the Comtesse de La Motte tricking Cardinal de Rohan into purchasing an extravagant necklace worth 1.6 million livres for the Queen, which she then stole. Although Marie Antoinette was found innocent, the rumors of her involvement severely damaged her public image.
The original necklace, made with nearly 650 diamonds (totaling 2,800 carats), was later broken up and sold. According to Sotheby’s, a Bond Street jeweler in London purchased 350 of the diamonds for over £10,000 at the time.
The auctioned piece is a Georgian-style necklace with three strands of diamonds and tassel ends. It weighs approximately 300 carats and measures over 66 cm, designed to be worn either draped around the neck or tied in front like a scarf.
The necklace was inherited by the British Marquesses of Anglesey. Its most famous public appearance was at the 1953 coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, worn by Shirley Morgan, wife of the 7th Marquess. It was later sold to an Asian collector before changing hands again at this auction.
Jessica Wyndham, Sotheby’s Head of Jewellery in London, also emphasized the historical link:
