Napoleon's Lost Diamond Brooch Fetches Record $4.4 Million at Geneva Auction

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A piece of history resurfaced at a Geneva auction when a diamond brooch lost by Napoleon Bonaparte during his hasty retreat from the Battle of Waterloo in 1815 sold for a staggering $4.4 million. The auction, held by Sotheby's, saw the brooch, featuring a 13-carat oval diamond surrounded by smaller cut diamonds, fetch 3.5 million Swiss francs. This sale exceeded the pre-sale estimate of 200,000 francs by a significant margin. The brooch, which can be worn as a pendant, was discovered among Napoleon's personal belongings in carriages that became stuck in the mud as he fled from the combined forces of the Duke of Wellington's British army and Field Marshal von Blücher's Prussian army. The item has a rich history, as it was once part of the Prussian Royal House of Hohenzollern's heirlooms for over two centuries. Unfortunately, the identity of the seller remains unknown, and the buyer is a private collector. The auction also featured a 132-carat green beryl, which Napoleon is said to have worn at his 1804 coronation. This jewel sold for a hammer price of 838,000 francs, outstripping the pre-sale estimate by a significant margin. The sale of Napoleon's lost diamond brooch has taken on added significance following the high-profile theft of Napoleonic jewels from the Louvre museum in Paris last month. According to diamond expert Tobias Kormind, the provenance of the brooch makes it an irresistible item, especially in the wake of the recent heist. In a separate auction, Sotheby's held a 'high jewelry' sale, but announced that the star item, a 10-carat pink diamond known as the 'Glowing Rose,' had been withdrawn. The reason for its withdrawal remains unclear, and it was expected to fetch around $20 million.