Missing for 69 Years, royal tiara heads to auction for $1.3M

A diamond tiara crafted in 1862 for the London International Exhibition and gifted to a French royal bride two years later is heading to auction at Sotheby’s Geneva. Missing for nearly 69 years, the Mellerio Orléans Tiara, which can also be worn as a necklace, is estimated to fetch up to $1.3 million, according to a report by Town & Country magazine. The European jewel will go under the hammer on November 11 in the auction house’s Royal and Noble Jewels sale, alongside several other pieces, including the tiara worn by the Dowager Duchess of Devonshire at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.Made in 1862Pic credit: Sotheby's The Mellerio Orléans Tiara dates to around 1862. It was made by Mellerio dits Meller, the oldest jeweller on Place Vendôme in Paris, for the London International Exhibition. It was designed in the Greek Revival style that was popular at the time. The headpiece features a meander pattern, also known as the Greek key design, set with old mine-cut and rose-cut diamonds.Pic credit: Sotheby's Ancient Greek and Roman art influenced the design of the diamond tiara. “This was a direct reflection of Napoleon III’s acquisition of the Campana collection for the Louvre ...