Empress Ajiani - From splendor and wealth to ruin and devastation

Empress Eugénie de Montijo, wife of Napoleon III. For her coronation, the court jeweler, Alexandre-Gabriel Lemonnier, created a masterpiece adorned with diamonds and emeralds. An exceptional work, considered one of the most important pieces of jewelry in history.

The crown was owned by the Empress until her death and was saved from the mass auction of the French Crown Jewels in 1885, thanks to its status as a "private jewel" rather than a state one. After the Empress's death, the crown was passed down as an inheritance, and in 1988, it was donated by collectors to the French Louvre Museum, where it received its proper status as a historical and national treasure.

The crown, which survived hardships and difficult times, experienced a storm that shook France and the art world on this day, October 20, 2025 – a robbery of French crown jewels.

To our relief, the crown was found broken and shattered, but it was saved and will be restored.

Empress Eugénie's crown, like other antique jewelry, reminds us that jewelry is not just about beauty, but also about fascinating stories of history and heritage.