Auction Napoleon's diamond brooch captured at Waterloo goes up for auction
Jewelry belonging to Napoleon Bonaparte's second wife was also lost in the Louvre jewel heist. A diamond brooch from the emperor's former possessions is now being auctioned at Sotheby's "Royal & Noble Sale" in Geneva.
24.10.2025, 11:45
SDA
According to Sotheby's, it is a brooch, probably made as a hat ornament, which Napoleon Bonaparte took with him to the legendary Battle of Waterloo in 1815. He was forced to leave it behind when he fled after his defeat by the British and Prussian armies, and the brooch was confiscated by the Prussians.
The brooch was presented to the Prussian King Frederick William III as a war trophy just three days after the battle. It was later bequeathed to the German emperors and finally ended up in a private collection.
The round brooch with a diameter of around 45 millimetres has a large oval diamond weighing 13.04 carats in its center, which is surrounded by numerous other mine-cut diamonds. The piece of jewelry is valued at an estimated price of 120,000 to 200,000 Swiss francs.
The auction, at which other pieces of jewelry will also be auctioned, will take place on November 12 at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Geneva.
