Russian crown jewel that’s one of the most important gemstones linked with the country’s last royal family is set to fetch up to £1.5m at auction
A 197.80-carat unheated Ceylon sapphire associated with Russia’s Romanov dynasty is expected to sell for up to £1.5 million at a Sotheby’s auction in Geneva. Its rarity and documented royal history make it a significant surviving jewel from the imperial court, most of whose crown gemstones were sold abroad by the Soviets.
The sapphire was worn by Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna at the Winter Palace Ball in 1903, then acquired from the Soviets by socialite Ganna Walska in 1927. The sale also includes Cartier’s Devonshire black opal tiara, estimated at up to £998,000, and a sapphire, emerald and diamond ring estimated at up to £454,000; the auction is scheduled for 11 November.
In short
- Romanov sapphire could sell for up to £1.5 million.
- Maria Feodorovna wore it at the 1903 Winter Palace Ball.
- Sotheby’s Geneva sale also features a royal opal tiara.
Explained simply
The Romanovs ruled Russia for more than 300 years, until the 1917 revolutions ended the monarchy. Maria Feodorovna was the wife of Tsar Alexander III and mother of the last tsar, Nicholas II; as dowager empress, she remained a prominent figure at court.
After the monarchy fell, the Soviet government sold many jewels from the imperial collection abroad. Ganna Walska, an American socialite and opera singer, bought the sapphire from the Soviets in 1927, linking it to the wider dispersal of royal treasures.
Ceylon is the historic name for Sri Lanka, a major source of sapphires. The stone’s size, lack of heat treatment and recorded connection to the Romanov court make it notable among surviving imperial jewels.