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What does Josephine's famous jewelery collection look like, which began with a humble "amour sincere" ring
What does Josephine's famous jewelery collection look like, which began with a humble "amour sincere" ring

Video: What does Josephine's famous jewelery collection look like, which began with a humble "amour sincere" ring

Video: What does Josephine's famous jewelery collection look like, which began with a humble
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There were many women in Napoleon's life, but only one of them he called "incomparable" - his beloved Josephine. Josephine, on the other hand, adored jewelry, spending almost all the funds intended for her on them. Her extravagance could drive anyone crazy, but not Napoleon. He closed his eyes to all her unthinkable spending, and he himself generously showered his beloved wife with expensive gifts. As a result, Josephine became the owner of the largest and most stunning collection of jewelry, the number of which was measured in thousands. Let's admire some of them …

Napoleon and Josephine
Napoleon and Josephine

Wedding ring

This wedding ring was presented to his beloved Josephine by General Bonaparte, who was passionately in love with her, before their wedding, which took place in March 1796. A modest and at the same time graceful gold ring, decorated with two sapphires - white and cornflower blue. The sentimental "amour sincere" (sincere love) is engraved on the inside. This ring marked the beginning of the collection of jewels of the "incomparable" Josephine.

Josephine's wedding ring
Josephine's wedding ring

Several years ago, the ring was put up for auction with an initial cost of 8 thousand euros. As a result of serious trading, it was bought for a fabulous sum - 896 thousand euros. Of course, the value of this ring is determined not so much by the sapphires as by the vivid love story associated with it.

Josephine's coronation tiara

Before the coronation of Bonaparte, which took place on December 2, 1804, he presented his wife Josephine with a stunning tiara, which was adorned with more than a thousand diamonds. This splendor was created by the talented French jeweler Marie-Etienne Nitot, the founder of the Chaumet jewelry house.

Marie Etienne Nito, Josephine's tiara
Marie Etienne Nito, Josephine's tiara

From 1887 to this day, this tiara has been owned by Van Cleef & Arpels, which bought it.

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Sapphire parures

Most of all, both Josephine herself and Napoleon, who was well versed in jewelry, loved jewelry with sapphires. Their blue color reminded and further emphasized the beauty of Josephine's blue eyes. In many portraits, Josephine is captured in one of the most beautiful parures of sapphires and pearls. This precious set consisted of a diadem, necklace, bracelets, earrings, two brooches and a belt adorned with a sapphire clasp.

Jean Baptiste Renault. Josephine 1806
Jean Baptiste Renault. Josephine 1806
Henri François Rieseneur, Josephine, 1808
Henri François Rieseneur, Josephine, 1808
Jean Baptiste Renault. Josephine 1810
Jean Baptiste Renault. Josephine 1810

She was very fond of Josephine and Queen Marie Antoinette's set, decorated with 29 sapphires brought from India. The total weight of the sapphires used for its manufacture is 20 carats.

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And another equally beautiful parure of sapphires and diamonds, possibly also owned by Marie Antoinette.

Sapphire parure
Sapphire parure

Tiaras with other stones

Of course, in the collection of Josephine there were many jewelry with other, no less beautiful precious stones - emeralds, rubies….

Luxurious tiara made of gold and silver, studded with diamonds and decorated with emeralds. Made by order of Bonaparte and is part of the parure, it was complemented by a necklace, earrings and two brooches.

Emerald tiara, made in 1804 by a court jeweler
Emerald tiara, made in 1804 by a court jeweler

A magnificent set of rubies of rare beauty:

Empress Josephine's Ruby Parure
Empress Josephine's Ruby Parure
Turquoise parure
Turquoise parure

One of the adornments of her collection was a delicate and graceful pearl necklace with pear-shaped pearl pendants..

Pearl parure
Pearl parure

Another unusual decoration is a set with cameos, a gift from Napoleon. A tiara decorated with large cameos looks especially beautiful. Cameos are surrounded by small pearls and flowers made of gold.

Marie-Etienne Nito, Josephine's tiara with cameos
Marie-Etienne Nito, Josephine's tiara with cameos

After Josephine's death in 1814, the jewelry passed to her children. Now you can admire some of the Empress's jewels in the Louvre. In addition, it is not uncommon for Josephine's magnificent jewelry to be seen on royals.

After the wedding of Josephine's granddaughter and King Oscar I, the amethyst tiara of Josephine and the golden tiara with cameos were taken over by the Swedish royal house.

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Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden wearing an amethyst tiara
Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden wearing an amethyst tiara

The bride's cameo tiara is now often used as a wedding tiara.

Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden wearing a tiara with cameos
Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden wearing a tiara with cameos

The emerald tiara of Josephine made a rather difficult path. Now it belongs to the royal house of Norway, Queen Sonya loves this tiara very much.

Queen Sonya of Norway wearing Josephine's emerald tiara
Queen Sonya of Norway wearing Josephine's emerald tiara

And even more jewels! This is how they look jewelry from the oldest jewelry house, patronized by the Medici and Josephine.

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