A royal auction

Tuesday, November 30th, 2010

Twenty-three years after they were first auctioned, the Duchess of Windsor’s infamous jewels are at Sotheby’s once again. Today, twenty pieces from the collection (created by Cartier’s High Jewellery Director Jeanne Toussaint) will go up for auction.

Some of Toussaint’s finest work was made for the Duke and Duchess, most notably the diamond panther bracelet and flamboyant flamingo brooch, picked out in rubies, sapphires, emeralds, citrines and diamonds.

The jewels date from the mid-thirties to the early fifties, each one marking important dates in the couple’s legendary love affair. Romantic inscriptions can be found on many of the pieces – a heart shaped emerald, ruby and diamond brooch holds the initials W.E (Wallis, Edward), while a diamond bracelet holds nine Latin crosses, each representing a special moment in the Duchess’s life.