Rare sapphire once belonging to doomed Romanov family fetches nearly £4m at Geneva auction
A jewel from imperial Russia
The sapphire, set in a bracelet, became part of Russia’s imperial jewels during the 19th century. It is considered one of the most important gemstones to survive from the Russian court.
The family and revolution
Nicholas II, Russia’s final emperor, was killed in 1918 along with his wife Alexandra and their children Olga, Tatiana, Maria, Anastasia and Alexei. The Dowager Empress fled to Crimea during the revolution with other Romanov refugees. She later lived in England and Denmark, where she died in 1928.
From Soviet records to auction
After the revolution, the sapphire appeared in an inventory before being included in Soviet government sales dispersing imperial treasures, Sotheby’s said. Ahead of the sale, Sotheby’s European and Middle Eastern jewellery chair Andres White Correal said buyers remained drawn to jewels combining rare stones, craftsmanship and history. He described the auction’s offerings as treasures connected to major European imperial and royal families.
Key points
- The 198-carat sapphire bracelet sold for more than 4.1 million Swiss francs (£3.7 million).
- The sale took place in Geneva.
- The jewel entered Russia’s imperial collection in the 19th century.
- Sotheby’s said the sapphire was inventoried before Soviet sales of imperial treasures.