A diamond-encrusted brooch belonging to French emperor Napoleon, which was captured by the Prussian army at Waterloo (Walloon Brabant – Belgium), has been auctioned in Geneva (Switzerland) for a record €3.79 million, according to auction house Sotheby's. The auctioneers had initially estimated the sale price at between €130,000 and €220,000.
The brooch was among the personal belongings that the emperor had to leave behind during his flight from Waterloo, outside Brussels, when he attempted to escape from British and Prussian soldiers. It was this famous battle that ultimately sealed his downfall.
The round piece of jewellery, with a diameter of approximately 45 mm, includes a large oval diamond weighing 13.04 carats in the centre. This central diamond is surrounded by almost 100 other diamonds in various shapes and sizes, arranged in two concentric rows.
This unique piece was made for Napoleon around 1810, ‘probably to adorn his bicorne hat on special occasions,’ the auction house notes. The jewel was then presented, along with other items, to the Prussian King Frederick William III on 21 June 1815, just three days after the Battle of Waterloo, as a war trophy.