A coronation tiara sold for US$1 million at auction, taking the crowning glory: the Chaumet piece was worn by Vere Ponsonby’s wife when King George VI and Queen Elizabeth took the throne

May 19 , 2023

Christie’s auction house shows the Bessborough Diamond Tiara expected to fetch between US$890,000 to US$1.67 million during the Magnificent Jewels sales on May 17, in Geneva. Photo: AFP

Following the success of King Charles’ coronation this month, Christie’s auction house sold the Bessborough Diamond Tiara, previously commissioned by Vere Ponsonby, the ninth Earl of Bessborough

The news comes after Sotheby’s sold the Bulgari Laguna Blu for more than US$25 million – it was worn in a necklace by actress Priyanka Chopra at the recent Met Gala

A tiara worn at two British coronations and the Star of Egypt diamond that purportedly once belonged to King Farouk sold at auction on Wednesday, crowning a week of dazzling jewellery sales in Geneva.

Visitors look of the Bulgari jewels in display cases during a preview of The World of Heidi Horten at Christie’s prior the auction sale in Geneva, Switzerland, on May 8. Photo: EPA-EFE

The historic pieces went under the hammer at Christie’s, the day after Sotheby’s auction house sold a Bulgari blue diamond for more than US$25 million.

Less than a fortnight after the coronation of Britain’s King Charles, bidders fought it out for the Bessborough Diamond Tiara, which was worn at the coronations of King Charles’ grandfather King George VI in 1937 and mother Queen Elizabeth in 1953.

Vere Ponsonby, the ninth Earl of Bessborough, commissioned the Parisian jeweller Chaumet to craft a tiara for his wife to mark his appointment as Canada’s governor-general in 1931. She wore it to the coronations.

The Bessborough Diamond Tiara. Photo: AFP

The platinum art deco headpiece sold for US$1 million (945,000 Swiss francs).

“This is as iconic as it gets in terms of the style. The workmanship is unbelievable,” said Max Fawcett, the head of jewellery at Christie’s in Geneva, who sold the tiara.

“It’s a piece of art and a piece of history,” he told AFP.

The entire Christie’s Magnificent Jewels sale totalled nearly 41.2 million Swiss francs, with 11 of the lots going for more than US$1 million each. On Tuesday, Sotheby’s held its own Magnificent Jewels auction in Geneva, achieving total sales topping 76.7 million Swiss francs.