Italian Princess To Sell Her Tiara

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed)
Jun 6th 2007 at 11:04AM

A princess's loss can be your gain at Christie's jewelry auction in London on June 13. Italy's Princess Maria Gabriella of Savoy is auctioning off 41 lots of rare jewels in order to help pay her taxes. The most astounding piece is the Faberge tiara shown above. The piece is referred to as the Empress Josephine Tiara because the briolette-cut diamonds (the ones shaped like teardrops )were given to the French empress by Tsar Alexandra I following her divorce from Napoleon I. The piece was created around 1890 and is mounted in silver and gold. It is estimated to be worth $774,384 and $1.2 million but could bring more at the auction.

Tags: christies, diamonds, faberge, savoy, tiara