Sotheby's says a diamond brooch lost by Napoleon as his forces fled Waterloo sells for $4.4 million

Source: AP

Updated 1:22 PM CST, November 12, 2025
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GENEVA (AP) — A diamond brooch that French emperor Napoleon lost while fleeing from the Battle of Waterloo in the early 19th century sold for more than 3.5 million Swiss francs (about $4.4 million) at a Geneva auction on Wednesday, Sotheby’s said.

The brooch, which can also be worn as a pendant, features an oval diamond weighing over 13 carats surrounded by smaller cut diamonds. The sale price vastly outstripped the high end of the pre-sale estimate of 200,000 francs.

The hammer price was 2.85 million francs, excluding fees and other charges that were included in the final aggregate price.

The circular jewel was found in a stash of Napoleon’s personal belongings in carriages that got held up on muddy roads as he and his troops fled the Duke of Wellington’s British forces and the Prussian army under Field Marshal von Blücher, Sotheby’s said.



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