Jewels of French queen Marie Antoinette on display

The jewellery - now at auction house Sotheby’s - has not been on public display for two centuries.

Pieces include a jewel-encrusted crown, a large pearl necklace, pearl earrings, three rings, and a diamond brooch.

After the London exhibition, the collection will be sold at auction, with the necklace alone estimated to go for between 1 million to 2 million US dollars (€868,550 - €1.7m).

One of the rings is monogrammed with the initials “MA” in rose diamonds, and contains a piece of the queen’s own hair; while another is monogrammed with “MD”, for “Monseigneur le Dauphin” - the father of Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette’s father-in-law.

Another ring is decorated with a miniature of the queen herself, surrounded by diamonds.

225 years ago, on 16 October 1793, Queen Marie Antoinette, wife of Louis XVI, née Archduchess of Austria, daughter of Empress Maria Theresa, was guillotined. This miniature and diamond ring comes from the last Queen of France of the 18th century and went from her daughter, Madame Royale (Marie Thérèse de France, Duchess of Angoulême) to Louise Thérèse de France, Duchess of Parma, niece and adoptive daughter of the Duchess of Angoulême. It has remained in the Bourbon Parma Family ever since and will be offered at auction in Geneva on 14th of November. Estimate CHF 8,000-12,000. . @sothebysjewels @sothebys #sothebys #sothebysjewels #royaljewels #royaljewellery #marieantoinette #queenmarieantoinette #miniature #portrait #ring #diamond #noblejewels #bourbonparme #bourbonparma #bourbon #french #royalty #royal #france #revolution #terreur #auction #geneva #switzerland #history #historicjewel #jewels #jewellery #jewelry

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Benoit Repellin, jewellery specialist at Sotheby’s, said: “Before [the royal family] escaped to Varennes [during the French Revolution], Marie Antoinette wrapped up her jewellery, her pearls and her diamonds, and sent them to her sister in Brussels, in the hope that they would then be sent to the Imperial Palace in Vienna.”

He added: “It’s very rare to see such important jewels from the most famous French queen in the world coming up at auction. It’s a very rare occasion to have chance to buy one of them.”