Marie-Antoinette diamonds up for auction in Geneva

Marie-Antoinette, the last queen of France before the revolution, was guillotined in Paris in October 1793

Marie-Antoinette, the last queen of France before the revolution, was guillotined in Paris in October 1793

Two splendid diamond bracelets that belonged to French queen Marie-Antoinette will go under the hammer in Geneva later this year, the auction house Christie's said Wednesday. 

The bracelets, coated with 112 diamonds in total, will be sold together and are estimated to fetch between $2-4 million when they go under the hammer on November 9.

The historic jewels could meanwhile easily go for far more than the asking price.

In 2018, a natural pearl and diamond pendant that belonged to the ill-fated French queen was estimated by the Sotheby's auction house at $1-2 million but was snapped up for $36 million. 

But Cisamolo said that it was not just their history that made the bracelets extraordinary, pointing to the large size of the diamonds, which range from around one to four carats.

While lacking the precision of today's laser-cut gems, Cisamolo stressed the charm and uniqueness of antique diamonds.

They are each composed of three rows of gems and can be connected together and worn as a necklace.

According to Christie's, Marie-Antoinette ordered the bracelets from jeweller Charles August Boehmer in Paris in 1776, two years after she ascended the throne.

Then the revolution arrived.

They were sent to Brussels, governed by her sister Archduchess Marie-Christine, before being sent on to the French queen's native Austria, ruled by her nephew, the emperor.

Only their daughter, Marie Therese of France, survived. She was freed in December 1795 and sent to Austria, where she was given her mother's jewels.

"Not only are you wearing something that Marie-Antoinette wore," she said. "The diamonds are extraordinary."

apo/nl/ach 

...