Thanks to auction houses, one can own a piece of royalty without being born into it. MS Rau Antiques is offering a pair of diamond and pearl earrings belonging to the last Queen of France, Maria Amalia of Bourbon-Two Sicilies. For a staggering $8 million, the beautiful earrings, featuring 98 diamonds and two natural pearls, could find their way into your collection. It is worth noting that the natural saltwater drop pearls in the French Crown Jewels earrings were considered even rarer than diamonds back in the day.
The jewelry was later enhanced with diamonds by Mellerio dits Meller, jeweler to the French Crown, adding another layer of flair to the pair. It is quite an opportunity to get one’s hands on French Crown Jewels, as most were auctioned off and dispersed by the Third Republic in 1887, often broken up or lost to private collections.
The pair linked to Queen Maria Amalia is truly miraculous for its sheer survival, not just as jewels but as intact witnesses to a vanished monarchy. The earrings are believed to have remained safe in the vaults of the Orléans family for generations, quietly passing through history rather than being displayed in museums, and come with a signed letter from Jean of Orléans, the current Count of Paris, reinforcing their impeccable provenance. Measuring 10.95 x 11.05 x 14.80 mm and 10.85 x 10.90 x 14.90 mm, the earrings are accompanied by an SSEF certificate and even feature in a period painting of Queen Amélie wearing them, shared MS Rau Antiques.
Unlike the extravagance associated with Marie Antoinette, who used jewelry as a loud fashion statement, Marie Amélie used her jewels to project stability. The deeply religious queen wore pieces that were classic and dignified, including natural pearls, making these earrings feel like an extension of her character. According to Libertad Digital, other jewelry pieces belonging to Queen Marie Amélie, such as a tiara, necklace, and matching earrings, were stolen from the Louvre Museum in a spectacular heist that made headlines around the world, further amplifying the rarity of surviving pieces like these.
For something so precious to come our way in such a direct and market-accessible manner is a chance not to be missed. In comparison, Marie Antoinette’s jewels still hold immense power, with a single pearl pendant belonging to the queen selling for a record-breaking $36 million in 2018.
