Today at Hidden Gems, I’m wrapping up my feature on a 1930 trial that centered on the scandalous sale of the Napoleon Diamond Necklace, an imperial heirloom that ended up with the Habsburgs. As a bonus today, I’ve got even more tiaras and jewels made for the women of Napoleon’s court.
“Two Kinds of Habsburgs”: The Napoleon Diamond Necklace (Part 2)
[Hidden Gems exclusive]
“There are two kinds of Habsburgs: rich Habsburgs and poor Habsburgs,” a disgraced archduke told authorities in 1930. Accused of participating in the fraudulent sale of an heirloom diamond necklace, Archduke Leopold ended up on trial, no matter which kind of Habsburg he was.
The Swedish Royal Family’s Regal Amethyst Tiara
Of all the royal jewels set with amethysts, few are quite so luscious as the deep purple stones set in the Swedish royal family’s antique parure. Today, we’re talking about the Napoleonic Amethyst Parure—including a tiara that was originally something quite different.
Sweden’s Unique Royal Cameo Tiara on Display to Celebrate a Golden Jubilee
While many of the grand royal jewels in Sweden belong to a family foundation, the Cameo Parure is personally owned by the King. The palace emphasizes in the exhibition that a public display of the parure is exceptionally rare. The set has been owned by Swedish royals for generations. Its roots, like many Bernadotte jewels, can be found in Napoleonic France.
A Diadem That Sparkles Without Diamonds: Sweden’s Napoleonic Cut-Steel Tiara
The unusual and innovative jewel is generally called the “Napoleonic Cut-Steel Tiara.” As the name suggests, this is a tiara with links to the court of Napoleon Bonaparte. But the piece didn’t belong to Empress Josephine or Empress Marie Louise. Instead, it’s said to have been made for Empress Josephine’s daughter, Hortense de Beauharnais.
An Astonishing Napoleonic Tiara Heads to Auction
The tiara is a rare example of a surviving jewel from the Napoleonic era. The piece, which is constructed with an ears of wheat design, is made of gold and silver and set with old-cut diamonds. Known as “épis de blés” in French, ears of wheat were a prominent and important design element during the Empire period, linked to the neo-classical aesthetic so beloved by Napoleon and his court.
In 1810, France had a new teenaged empress, and Napoleon showered her with gifts of jewelry commensurate with her new station. Along with the grand state jewels that she was now entitled to wear, he presented her with several parures of jewelry to add to her personal collection. Marie-Étienne Nitot, court jeweler to the Bonapartes, created two suites of jewelry especially for the new empress. One was set with opals and diamonds, and the other was studded with diamonds and emeralds.
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