The collection also features a number of jewels that combine multiple royal provenances, showing how the impressive stones in the family collection were set in different designs throughout the centuries, according to the tastes of each successive generation. Made for Louise of France (1819-1864), grand-daughter of Charles X, King of France and mother of Robert I, Duke of Parma, a breath-taking diamond parure composed of 95 diamonds (est. $300,000-500,000) includes five solitaire diamonds that belonged to Marie-Antoinette, a large number of stones which adorned the sword of the Duke of Berry, son of Charles X and father of Louise (assassinated by an anti-royal Bonapartist in 1820) and a large pear-shaped diamond from the collection of the Archduchess Isabella of Austria, Princess of Croÿ (1856 –1931).

Treasures from the Habsburgs and the Dukes of Parma

The illustrious jewels to be offered in November also bear witness to the family’s connections with the House of Habsburg, one of the most influential royal dynasties of Europe. Reigning over the Austro-hungarian Empire until 1918, the Habsburgs also occupied the throne of the Holy Roman Empire and produced emperors and kings whose dominions included Germany, England, Spain, Holland and Italy.

A highlight of this group is a diamond tiara of foliate scroll design given by Emperor Franz Joseph (1830-1916), one of Europe’s longest reigning monarchs, to his great-niece, Archduchess Maria Anna of Austria (1882-1940) for her wedding to Elias of Bourbon, Duke of Parma (1880–1959) in 1902. This opulent diadem was created by Köchert, the prestigious Viennese jewellery house founded in 1814 which served the Imperial House of Austria for four generations (est. $80,000-120,000).

Boasting the same prestigious provenance are a magnificent diamond bow brooch, adorned with a 6.89-carat Burmese ruby (est. $200,000-300,000) and a diamond ring set with an impressive fancy orangey-pink diamond of 2.44 carats (est. $120,000-180,000) which were given to Archduchess Maria Anna of Austria by her father to mark the births of her two sons.

A diamond brooch adorned with an impressive 30.70-carat sapphire from Ceylon (est. $150,000 250,000) was a gift from her mother on the occasion of her marriage.

Most of the jewels in the collection were given to Robert I (1848-1907), the last sovereign Duke of Parma and Piacenza, by his mother, Louise of France (1819-1864), grand-daughter of King Charles X of France and great-niece of Marie Antoinette. Robert I also received exceptional jewels from his paternal grand-mother, Maria-Teresa of Savoy, Duchess of Parma (1803-1879), including a pair of diamond girandole earrings (est. $150,000-250,000). For her wedding to Robert I, Princess Maria Pia of Bourbon-Two Sicilies (1849–1882) received from her husband’s grand-father, Charles II of Parma a large diamond pendeloque brooch (est. $ 25,000-35,000)