This beautiful pearl and diamond necklace was first presented at auction in 1995. Nineteen years later, it was sold at Sotheby's in Geneva, and now it's time for the necklace to be offered at auction for a third time. On October 12, Sotheby's Hong Kong holds their Magnificent Jewels: Part I sale and among the highlights is the necklace that once belonged to Josephine, Queen of Sweden and Norway.
The necklace, also known as the "Leuchtenberg necklace," dates to the beginning of the 19th century and is attributed to Nitot who in 1780 founded the jewelry brand Chaumet. It belonged to Augusta Amalia of Bavaria (1788-1851), who was married to Eugène de Beauharnais, the son of the Empress Joséphine de Beauharnais (1763-1814) and stepson of Napoleon Bonaparte. Augusta and Joséphine had a close relationship and the Empress is said to have given Augusta jewelry throughout her reign. It is therefore likely that the pearl necklace was given by the Empress as a gift or as part of her inheritance. Eventually, the necklace was inherited by Augusta and Eugène's daughter, Josephine.
Josephine Maximiliana Eugenia Napoleona of Leuchtenberg was born in 1807 in Milan. After the fall of Napoleon in 1814, Eugène tried to proclaim himself king of Italy, but when this failed, the family was forced to flee to Munich. In 1817 Eugène bought the city and the principality of Eichstätt and was appointed duke of Leuchtenberg.
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On the other side of the Baltic Sea, the Swedish king Karl XIV Johan was busy finding a wife for Crown Prince Oscar. There were some princesses that the king considered eligible and in May 1822 the Crown Prince went on a tour of Europe to meet them.
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On August 23, Oscar stayed in Eichstätt where he met Eugene and Augusta's eldest daughter. Oscar fell in love and married Josephine in 1823. When the Crown Prince's father Karl XIV Johan died in 1844, Oscar and Josephine were crowned King and Queen of Sweden and Norway. Oscar I died on July 8, 1859 of a brain tumor and Josefina was a widow queen until her death in 1876.
Among Josephine's most valued possessions were the pearl and diamond necklace, which she received from her mother when she traveled to Sweden, together with other jewelry from her grandmother Empress Joséphine.
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The necklace consists of two pearl strands, with one hundred and five oriental pearls and seven removable drop-shaped pearls, capped with rose-cut diamonds, and a clasp with an old-cut diamond. A portrait of Josephine with the necklace, which measures approximately 87 x 72 centimeters, is included. Though the exact price is upon request, the necklace sold at auction in 2014 for $3.4 million.
The Magnificent Jewels: Part I sale is one of the most significant jewelry auctions ever held in Hong Kong. In addition to the Queen's pearl and diamond necklace, iconic jewelry from brands such as Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Harry Winston and Bulgari is also offered.
