Jewelry that once belonged to the French Queen Marie Antoinette was sold at an auction for 36.4 million Swiss francs that equal to approximately Rs 259 crores in Geneva.
Diamond and pearl earrings, pearl necklaces and a giant pearl pendant owned by the ill-fated queen were up for the auction.
After the 14-minute round took place, the oval-shaped diamond pendant was purchased by an anonymous bidder who paid 18 times the amount which was expected.
The pendant is part of a collection that also included a diamond double-ribbon-bow brooch, which sold for more than $2.1 million that equal to approximately Rs 15 crore, and a monogram ring with woven strands of Antoinette's hair, which went for around $440,000 that equal to approximately 3.16 crore . A pearl and diamond necklace was also purchased for $2.2 million that equal to approximately Rs 15.8 crore.
King Louis XVI and the queen Marie Antoinette were beheaded in 1793, but the queen smuggled some of the jewelry outside France before she died. However, this is not the first time that the queen¡¯s jewelry has been put up for auction. Her jewelry was at an auction in the year 2007 also.