World · India Bureau
Lost Royal Tiara to Fetch $1.3M at Geneva Auction
A diamond tiara gifted to French royalty in 1864 will go under the hammer in Switzerland this month, nearly seven decades after it vanished from public view. The ornate Mellerio Orléans Tiara is expected to attract significant bidding from collectors of royal jewellery.
LSN India ·
The Mellerio Orléans Tiara, a historically significant piece of royal regalia, will be auctioned in Geneva on November 11, with estimates placing its value between $946,000 and $1.33 million. Originally commissioned in 1862 for a royal exhibition, the tiara showcases a Greek Revival design characteristic of mid-19th century jewellery craftsmanship.
The piece entered the historical record as a wedding gift to Marie Isabelle, an Orléanist claimant to the French throne, in 1864. Despite its royal provenance and artistic merit, the tiara disappeared from documented records and remained missing for nearly 69 years before resurfacing for sale.
The Geneva auction house sale will offer collectors and royal history enthusiasts the opportunity to acquire a rare piece of European aristocratic heritage. The tiara's re-emergence highlights ongoing discoveries of historical royal jewellery that had long been thought lost to time, underscoring the enduring market for authenticated pieces from Europe's noble families.
The sale comes as auction houses worldwide continue to see strong demand for historical royal artefacts and fine jewellery with documented provenance.