You Too Can Own Napoleon's Diamonds: A Relic of Waterloo Goes on Sale at Sotheby's
When Napoleon fled from the battlefield at Waterloo, he left behind a treasure trove of diamond jewels. Now, some of those diamonds are being sold in Switzerland
This month, the auctioneers at Sotheby’s in Geneva will present a pair of fascinating Napoleonic relics to prospective buyers. Ahead of the sale, I’ve got a closer look at the two dazzling pieces—a diamond hat ornament and an unmounted green beryl—in an article that includes a speed-run through the Battle of Waterloo and a dive into the history of the Hohenzollerns.
When you think about royal and imperial diamonds during the nineteenth century, you probably imagine a princess at her dressing table, with maids presenting jewels for her to select to wear for a grand dinner. Or you might imagine a ball in a palace ballroom, with diamonds twinkling under candlelight as kings and queens twirl about the room while an orchestra plays. Perhaps you even imagine a coronation or a royal wedding, with the looming expanses of a Gothic church lending a velvety background to sparkling stones.
But diamonds on a battlefield? Surely not.
But yes—diamonds were indeed present for military action, including one of the most notable battles in European history! It’s tough for us to imagine it, given our modern understanding of combat, but in days past, gemstones were brought along to battles, worn by men of prominence as they fought on foot and horseback or as they directed battle plans from hastily-constructed headquarters. Richard III is thought to have literally lost his crown at the Battle of Bosworth Field. Henry V supposedly wore the Black Prince’s Ruby into battle at Agincourt.
When Napoleon Bonaparte, returning from exile in an attempt to regain power both in France and in Europe, headed to present-day Belgium in the spring of 1815 to face off against coalition forces, he packed some truly impressive diamond jewelry in his carriage—and then promptly lost the jewels for good when he was forced into a humiliating retreat.
