Sharjah24 – AFP: Two splendid diamond bracelets that belonged to French queen Marie-Antoinette will go under the hammer in Geneva later this year, the auction house Christie's said Wednesday.
The bracelets, each coated in 112 diamonds, will be sold together and are estimated to fetch between $2-4 million when they go under the hammer on November 9.
That estimate "includes not only the intrinsic value of the diamonds, but also the possibility to wear jewellery that was once worn by the famous queen Marie-Antoinette," Christie's jewellery specialist Marie-Cecile Cisamolo said.
The historic jewels could meanwhile easily go for far more than the asking price.
"As seen in recent Geneva sales, the market for jewels of noble provenance continues to perform extremely well," Francois Curiel, the chairman of Christie's luxury division, said in a statement.
In 2018, a natural pearl and diamond pendant that belonged to the ill-fated French queen was estimated by the Sotheby's auction house at $1-2 million but was snapped up for $36 million.
Marie-Antoinette, the last queen of France before the revolution, was guillotined in Paris in October 1793 at the age of 37.
While lacking the precision of today's laser-cut gems, Cisamolo stressed the charm and uniqueness of antique diamonds.
In total, Christies estimates that the bracelets comprise 140 to 150 carats.
They are each composed of three rows of gems and can be connected together and worn as a necklace.
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