A Romanov sapphire bracelet sells for $4.9 million at a Geneva auction
A Romanov sapphire bracelet weighing nearly 198 carats sold for $4.9 million at a Geneva auction, far exceeding its estimated value.
The 197.80-carat Ceylon sapphire, set on a diamond-covered bracelet, attracted significant interest at the Geneva auction late Wednesday. The final price of 4.1 million Swiss francs ($4.9 million) vastly surpassed the pre-sale estimate of 850,000 to 1.7 million francs ($1 million to $2 million).
Sotheby's described the stone as one of the most important surviving gemstones from the Russian court, with origins tracing back to the Mughal Empire in south Asia before becoming part of Russia's imperial jewels in the 19th century.
Imperial provenance
The sapphire has documented connections to Russia's royal family. Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna, mother of Czar Nicholas II, wore the piece at the Winter Palace Ball of 1903, an event described as 'the last great spectacle of Imperial Russia.'
widely regarded as the last great spectacle of Imperial Russia and immortalized in some of the most iconic images of the Romanov court
Post-revolution journey
Following the Russian Revolution, the sapphire was recorded in inventory before being sold during the Soviet government's dispersal of imperial treasures. The private collector who purchased the item at auction remains unidentified.
Related
