Romanov Sapphire for $4.9 million What other values of the dynasty went under the hammer

The sapphire from the collection of the imperial house of Romanov sold at auction Sotheby’s – Royal and Noble Jewels – for $ 4.9 million, more than double its initial estimate.

Preliminarily, the auction house estimated the cost of the jewelry at 850 thousand - 1.7 million Swiss francs (about $ 1.1 million). Bidding began with 600,000 Swiss francs, and the lot was sold for 4.1 million Swiss francs.

The cut sapphire weighing 197.8 carats is framed in a wide bracelet of geometric shape made of diamonds and rock crystal. The decoration was developed by the Cartier jewelry house in 2015: according to his plan, this design refers to the aesthetics of Art Deco.

When the sapphire appeared in the imperial treasury is unknown. However, as Sotheby’s points out, judging by the style of cutting, it can refer to the Mughal era, which ended in the middle of the XIX century. In the catalog of Fersman, compiled in the post-revolutionary time, the sapphire is described along with another - weighing 249.25 carats. Together they formed a pair of jewelry brooches. Empress Maria Feodorovna wore them on the front skirt during a costume ball at the Winter Palace in 1883.

In 1927, the sapphire was purchased by Polish opera singer Hanna Walska for her necklace. Subsequently, this decoration was repeatedly remade. In 1971, Valska's property was put up for auction at Sotheby's. Then the stone was presented in a shorter necklace. In 1992, the sapphire in the necklace was presented at Sotheby's auction in Geneva.

Sapphire brooch of Elizabeth Petrovna

Date of sale: June 2026 Price: $204.8 thousand *

The brooch is 5.9 cm long in the form of a bouquet of cornflowers and wheat ears tied with a ribbon, decorated with diamonds of ancient cuts and Ceylon sapphires in gold foil, the pin and fastener are also made of gold.

According to Sotheby’s, the decoration belonged to Empress Elizabeth Petrovna. It was sold in 1927, either at Christie’s in London or privately. Later, the brooch was at the London jewelry house S.J. Phillips, and in the 1960s it was purchased by the family of the current owner.

* - hereinafter the price of the lot is indicated in dollars at the time of the auction

Diamond brooches of Catherine the Great

Date of sale: June 2026 Price: a pair of brooches - $409.6 thousand, the other two - $256,000 and $217.6 thousand.

Four silver brooches in the form of flowers tied with ribbons from the collection of Empress Catherine II were sold at Sotheby's Artistic Luxury: Fabergé, Gold Boxes, Silver & Ceramics (Sotheby's Artistic Luxury: Fabergé, Gold Boxes, Silver & Ceramics) in three different lots (two brooches are a pair). Jewels are decorated with diamonds of ancient cut.

Sotheby’s believes that the jewelry was created by Louis David Duval, who under Emperor Peter III received the title of court jeweler. The jewels could be stored in the Diamond Room of the Winter Palace. In 1927, the brooches also went under the hammer, later acquired by the jewelry house S.J. Phillips, until they were in the family of the current owner.

Date of sale: December 2025 Price: $190.5 thousand.

A year earlier, Sotheby’s put up for sale another pair of brooches of Catherine the Great. The decorations are made in the form of closed buds of flowers tied with ribbons, and strewn with diamonds of ancient cuts.

In 1927, the Soviet People's Commissariat of Finance sold brooches at Christie's London auction. Later, the jewelry was in the New York jewelry house A La Vieille Russie.

The table clock of Maria Fedorovna

Date of sale: June 2026 Price: $192,000.

The table clock of unusual triangular shape with a height of 15.2 cm is decorated with a translucent enamel of bright orange color over the pattern in the form of divergent sunlight. The dial is framed by laurel gold leaves. The watch is decorated with two ribbons, also made of gold.

Sotheby's points out that Empress Maria Feodorovna bought this watch in the St. Petersburg branch of Faberge on March 9, 1898 for 275 rubles.

Photo album by Alexandra Fedorovna

Date of sale: October 2025 Price: $159.2 thousand.

Alexandra Feodorovna’s photo album contains 26 photographs of the royal family taken personally by the last Russian Empress in 1913-1914 in Crimea and St. Petersburg. The binding is made of solid fabric of lilac color (the favorite color of Alexandra Feodorovna) and is decorated with the coat of arms of the Russian Empire with five stones, each of which symbolizes one of the children of the imperial couple.

Alexandra Feodorovna purchased the album at a charity bazaar in Yalta in 1913. Four years later, she took it with her in exile to Tobolsk, and in October 1917 gave it to the family dentist Sergei Kostritsky. Subsequently, the album was received by representatives of Russian emigration in France, and in 2003 returned to Russia. In 2006, it was purchased from the last owner. According to the description of the auction house “Litfond”, which organized the anniversary auction, this is the only photo album of the royal family that did not get into the funds of the State Archives.

Clips and brooch of Princess Maria Pavlovna

Sale date: November 2021 Price: $879,000.

A set of sapphire jewelry from a pair of clips and brooches dates back to about 1900. The central stone of the brooch is an oval Ceylon sapphire weighing 26.80 carats. The clips are decorated with sapphires weighing 6.69 and 9.36 carats.

The jewels previously belonged to Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna Romanova, an aunt of the Russian Emperor Nicholas II. The earrings and brooch were smuggled out of Russia by the princess' friend Albert Henry Stopford in late September 1917. The princess died in 1920 in exile, and the jewelry passed to her daughter, Grand Duchess Elena Vladimirovna. Descendants sold the jewelry at auction in 2009.

The table clock of Alexander III

Date of sale: April 2008 Price: $179.3 thousand.

According to the website of the auction house Heritage Auctions, Alexander III ordered the watch as a gift to his wife Maria Feodorovna on the anniversary of the wedding, which was celebrated in 1891.

The silver heart-shaped watch was made by master Julius-Alexander Rappoport in St. Petersburg. On the building are engraved the names of the imperial residences: Gatchina, Livadia, Tsarskoye Selo, Anichkov Palace, Peterhof and Cottage. At the top of the product is a wreath of laurel leaves with the Roman numeral XXV (25th anniversary of the wedding). On the dial, instead of the first five digits, the name MINNI is indicated - so Alexander III affectionately called his wife. The remaining divisions indicate the initials of five children, including the future Tsar Nicholas II.

Diamond bracelet of Catherine II

Date of sale: May 2006 Price: $255.1 thousand.

The bracelet was made around 1780 from gold and silver. The central part of the product is made in the form of an oval diamond of ancient cuts, and the top is decorated with a bow of diamonds with six loops. The side parts are decorated with patterns in the form of plants, also strewn with diamonds.

Initially, the product was paired with another bracelet, both were stored in the Diamond Fund of Russia. In 1927 they were sold at Christie’s in London. Subsequently, the jewelry was at the London jewelry house S.J. Phillips. One of the bracelets was purchased from him in the 1980s.