Believed to have once belonged to Queen Marie Antoinette and passed down through her daughter Marie-Thérèse and successive European royals, the diamond’s documented lineage enhances its mystique and value. “It is not just a rare gem—it is a piece of history,” said Rahul Kadakia, International Head of Jewelry at Christie’s.
The diamond was last seen publicly in 1996 and previously mounted as a hair ornament. It now returns in a new setting by celebrated jeweller JAR (Joel Arthur Rosenthal), featuring a diamond-studded fleur-de-lis—an homage to its French royal origins.
With pink diamonds already among the rarest—estimated at just 1 in every million carats—the Marie-Thérèse Pink’s origin is believed to be the legendary Golconda mines of India, known for producing stones of exceptional clarity and brilliance.
This auction follows the 2021 sale of Marie Antoinette’s diamond bracelets, which tripled their estimate at $8.2 million. The enduring fascination with the ill-fated queen, bolstered by her cinematic and cultural legacy, continues to drive collector interest in royal jewels.
The Marie-Thérèse Pink will be offered alongside several other major lots, including a 66.74-carat D-color diamond and a 17.98-carat light blue pear-shaped diamond ring.
As Christie’s prepares for the sale, the question remains: will Marie Antoinette’s legacy once again capture the crown in the auction room?
