The secret of Empress Josephine's pearl necklace

[CLICLASP]

I attended the first auction in 2018, lots of photos to see in getting back from page 1, especially the clasp page 5 but not only (well, I love clasps indeed ). I took a lot of photos . Enjoy !

 

[TriciaS]

Here is another article about the necklace and the auction. https://www.thecourtjeweller.com/20...ine-necklace-heads-to-auction.html#more-35013 Interestingly, the portrait that Douglas posted is being offered in the same lot as the necklace.

 

[BWeaves]

Anyone want to chip in and buy it as a group? We'll each get a month to wear it?

Kidding, but I can dream.

 

[CortezPearls]

Really!?!? Wow! Makes me want it even more!

 

[CortezPearls]

I would love that...imagine that we could "crowd-fund" one of these amazing jewelry pieces.

 

[pattye]

Wouldn't it be awesome to create a replica of this necklace in fw pearls? The measurements are available and similar bead caps can be found.
The clasp, now that would be a challenge!

 

[CortezPearls]

Totally possible to have a replica...and yes indeed: the clasp would be an issue!
But to me...what really makes these historical pieces unique is that they are historical, worn by Nobility and unattainable to the masses.
Then again, we are actually breathing the same oxygen atoms that Moses, Abraham, Alexander the Great, Mary Stewart, Shakespeare, Tzun Tzu, Buddha, Cervantes, Mikimoto, Mandela, Ghandi, etc...have breathed before...so I'll count myself lucky
Breathe in...breathe out!

 

[CortezPearls]

Oh wow...been keeping an eye on this amazing necklace and I round this article with an incredibly detailed story of the pearl necklace, so I thought I would share it here, and just to whet your appetite let me post some photos and I have to tell you there is a very interesting video there too.

The original article can be read HERE: Queen Josefina’s Pearl Necklace | The Royal Watcher (royalwatcherblog.com)

 

[SurfnSci]

Oh wow, what a fantastic high-def Sotheby's video!

 

[CortezPearls]

I know
Just had to share it with you all!

 

[CathyKeshi]

Ooh, that video is wonderful, Douglas ... Thank You for posting! I especially liked the clasp description of "charming" .... a bit disingenuous, no?

 

[CortezPearls]

Totally! "Charming" is more like talking of toilet paper
What would you call it dear CathyKeshi ?

 

[CLICLASP]

And all of a suddain the person in charge with this special window where it was exhibited, opened it to take it off.
I literally "jump" on him and took to opportunity to ask to see the clasp in real (you may know I am currently writing a book on clasps), and I frequently take the opportunity of photo shooting clasps to add pearls to the photo shooting.
This time it was the contrary, my first interest was for Josephine's pearls, then the clasp came in second.

So he turned the bust for display to show me the clasp, and OMG ! what a diamond, I never saw such a wonderful diamond so far (and I have seen plenty, especially at auctions), I think it was a Goldonda mine old cut diamond and what a size, what a clarity , what a shine , what a color, this diamond really left me breathless, and it's impossible to catch its magnificence in photo.

Well this is in fact the photo of the clasp I saw when I attended to the previous sale. A pure wonder. you may like to jump page 5 to see that famous clasp! I put it again here

 

[StarryPearl]

Wow, a single piece of huge diamond as the clasp! Even the width is not shy for 2 rows of pearls. Thanks for sharing this CLICLASP !

I like the Empress way, too.

And I like it that the necklace was sold together with the portrait. Isn't the portrait like an artful version of authenticity certificate?

 

[Charlotta2.0]

It is a wonderful necklace and clasp. It would probably not be that difficult to make a necklace like that and use another clasp and cultured pearls of course. Probably without the diamond though, some pretty vintage ring, brosch or pendant with a large single stone could be remade into a clasp I think.
I am not going to try it, even though I have some pretty vintage clasps that would probably do...I would probably not be able to resist making it in lots of different colors. Come to think of it, could be fun.

 

[CortezPearls]

I am definitively not a "Diamond Person" but I can appreciate the rarity of such a large diamond...I think that -like CathyKeshi pointed out- the word "charming" does not agree wit it. Thanks for CLICLASP for resharing the clasp photo and comments. Clearly, anyone can see it is more than "charming" (impressive?)

 

[CathyKeshi]

Hmm ... perhaps I'd call that diamond astonishing? Most of us have never seen such a diamond in person, and we are so lucky to have first hand reports of both pearl experts and Anna with ClicClasp; Thank You All! I never care for diamonds either, preferring pearls, colored gems, jade etc. until a few years ago when we went to the Jewels of the Romanovs, which was visiting Washington, D. C. That's when I realized I'd never seen DIAMONDS. The size of pigeon eggs, with colored gems to match ... and a lot of guys with Kalishnikov rifles. A week later, after the exhibition was loaded onto the tractor trailer trucks (TWO!), there was a dispute over ownership of the gems, an opposing faction blocked off the street and there was a standoff for a while ...

 

[CortezPearls]

Oh wow! Royal Family Feud time with Kalashnikovs! And in the "heart of America"...growing up during the "Cold War" an image like this you are describing is the stuff of nightmares. Wow...really a story to tell! You and Walter have to retell the whole story to us next time we all gather!

 

[CathyKeshi]

The internet says it was 1997, Douglas. So many unsmiling, stern guards brandishing Kalashnikovs was disconcerting ... no one dared even breath on the glass LOL. But the gems, I've never seen anything like those gems.; rubies, sapphires, emeralds, diamonds in shoe clips, hair clips, things we'd make out of plastic today ... in matched sets for all the girls and ladies; no little elastic hair ties for those girls. Many were in designs representative of fruits, ie. Golden stems, duplicate sets in white gold, giant single ruby cherries swinging from the bottom, and a set in pink sapphires and ... the cherries were life size, single stones. Just one example. The disparity in wealth was shocking; the artistry stunning. The blocked off street event happened about 4 days after we were there, right after the exhibit was loaded on the trucks; I think the blockade of the street lasted most of a week before being quietly settled somehow without more mayhem, although it did make national news for a minute or 2.

 

[CortezPearls]

Thank you for filling up those details @CathyKeshi
I can only begin to imagine how the atmosphere felt...thick & tense.
But I can also imagine the breathtaking items as you describe...cherry-sized rubies are not your ordinary rubies! Where people allowed to take photos of the items?