Sotheby’s has announced the auction of a rare 18th-century diamond necklace at its upcoming Royal and Noble Jewels sale in Geneva on 11 November 2024.
The piece, which may include diamonds linked to the “Affair of the Diamond Necklace” scandal involving Marie Antoinette, has not been publicly displayed for 50 years.
Weighing approximately 300 carats, the necklace is expected to sell for between CHF 1.6 million and CHF 2.4 million ($1.8 million – $2.8 million).
Historical Background and Provenance
The necklace, likely created in the decade before the French Revolution, is a significant example of Georgian jewellery. While its exact origins are not recorded, it is believed to have been made for a member of royalty or high-ranking aristocracy. Previously, the necklace belonged to the Marquesses of Anglesey, a prominent Anglo-Welsh family with close ties to the British royal family.
Marjorie Paget, the Marchioness of Anglesey and daughter of Henry Manners, 8th Duke of Rutland, wore the necklace to the coronation of King George VI in 1937. Her daughter-in-law later wore it to the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. The piece was sold by the seventh Marquess of Anglesey in the 1960s and was exhibited at the American Museum of Natural History in 1976 before being acquired by a private Asian collector.
Design and Craftsmanship
The necklace consists of three rows of diamonds, ending with a diamond tassel on each side. It can be worn with the tassels hanging or tied in a knot. Each diamond, ranging from one to one-and-a-half carats, is of old mine brilliant cut, with the stones likely sourced from India’s Golconda mines, known for producing notable historical diamonds.
“This rare and important diamond jewel is a sublime survivor from the opulent court life of the Georgian era, defined by its unrivaled pomp and splendor; it is arguably one of the most magnificent and intact Georgian jewels in private hands,” said Andres White Correal, Chairman of Jewellery for Europe and the Middle East at Sotheby’s and head of the Noble Jewels sale. “When compared to other surviving imperial and royal jewels from the same period, this necklace stands head and shoulders above these examples; it is a fortune in diamonds, and also a master class in exquisite design, workmanship and technical innovation for the period. The jewel is as relevant, alluring, and appealing today as when it was made over two centuries ago. It is the nec plus ultra of 18th-century jewelry design.”
The “Affair of the Diamond Necklace” Connection
Some of the diamonds in this necklace are thought to be linked to the infamous “Affair of the Diamond Necklace,” a scandal that damaged the reputation of Marie Antoinette and contributed to the discontent leading to the French Revolution. The original necklace involved in the scandal was dismantled, and its diamonds sold, possibly including stones now part of the piece being auctioned.
