The Romanov Sapphire is to be offered at auction in Geneva with an estimate of £1.5 million, in what is being described as one of the most important surviving gemstones associated with Russia’s last imperial dynasty.
The 197.80-carat unheated Ceylon sapphire has a documented connection to the Russian imperial court and was worn by Maria Feodorovna, the Empress Consort and Dowager Empress of Russia, at the Winter Palace Ball in 1903.
The event is widely regarded as the final great spectacle of imperial Russia. Maria Feodorovna’s son, Nicholas II, was the country’s last tsar before he was executed by revolutionaries in 1917.
The House of Romanov ruled Russia from 1613 until the February Revolution. Most of the gemstones from the Russian Crown Jewels were sold to buyers in the West by the Soviet authorities between 1927 and 1936, leaving few that can still be clearly identified today.
Socialite and singer Ganna Walska acquired the sapphire from the Soviets in 1927. Known for her lavish lifestyle and six failed marriages, Walska developed a notable passion for jewellery.
When she died in 1984, her California home passed to the Ganna Walska Lotusland Foundation. The garden was opened to visitors and is now considered one of the top ten in the world.
Walska owned at least 146 pieces of jewellery, which she eventually sold to finance additions to the garden. Her collection included a 95-carat diamond briolette, a group of Indian jewellery featuring several Cartier necklaces and a large Mughal carved emerald.
Harry Winston and Van Cleef & Arpels were among the bidders at the sale of her collection.
Other royal and noble jewels at auction
The Sotheby’s sale will also feature Cartier’s Devonshire black opal tiara, which is expected to fetch up to £998,000.
The tiara is thought to have been commissioned in connection with the coronation of King George VI in 1937. It later gained prominence when Mary Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire, wore it at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 in her role as Mistress of the Robes.
Its most recent public appearance was at the London premiere of Wuthering Heights, where the film’s director Emerald Fennell wore it as a necklace on the red carpet.
A sapphire, emerald and diamond toi et moi ring formerly owned by socialite Catherine, Lady Walston, is also due to go under the hammer, with an estimate of up to £454,000.
Andres White Correal, chairman of jewellery for Europe and the Middle East, said: “The extraordinary success of our Royal & Noble Jewels sales reflects collectors’ enduring fascination with jewels that combine exceptional gemstones, craftsmanship and history.
“This season’s auction is led by rare treasures associated with some of Europe’s most important imperial and royal families, from the Romanovs to the Houses of Orleans and Braganza, each offering a unique window into history.
“We look forward to presenting these exceptional jewels to collectors from around the world this November.”
Sotheby’s Royal and Noble sale will take place live from the Mandarin Oriental in Geneva on Wednesday November 11, following the auction house’s high jewellery sale on the same day.
