Romanov Sapphire sells for $4.9 million in Geneva auction
The 197.80-carat gemstone was once worn by Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna at a 1903 royal ball.
A 197.80-carat sapphire known as the Romanov Sapphire has sold for $4.9 million at a Sotheby’s auction in Geneva, according to the Times of India. The sale price significantly exceeded the presale estimate of up to 1.7 million Swiss francs, which was approximately $2 million.
The gemstone was once part of the Russian Crown Jewels and was worn by Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna during the 1903 Winter Palace Ball in St Petersburg. The sapphire features an unusual Mughal-era faceting style and was originally set in a diamond border by Fabergé.
Following the Russian Revolution, the Soviet government sold the stone anonymously in the 1920s as part of a disposal of the Crown Jewels. In 1927, socialite Ganna Walska purchased the sapphire from Cartier, where it was used as a pendant on a sautoir.
The sapphire was later remounted in 1929 and has appeared in various jewellery forms over the decades. In 2015, Cartier designed a new bracelet for the stone, featuring brilliant-cut and modified shield step-cut diamonds in an Art Deco style.
The current piece is a signed Cartier bracelet that includes documentation and the original design copies. The high sale price reflects the historical value associated with the stone's imperial provenance and its connection to the Romanov court.