The engagement ring of Napoleon and Josephine Bonaparte was sold by auction house Osenat for USD946,000 recently in France. The 18th century “toi-et-moi” style ring (represented in some ways today at Van Cleef & Arpels and Chopard, amongst others) was estimated at USD20,000 by Osenat based purely on the value of the ring (yellow gold with blue sapphire and diamond, each a little less than 1 carat).
According to published reports and the auction house, the buyer has decided to remain completely anonymous but clearly relishes the provenance of the ring. It is notable that the ring was bought when Napoleon was but a General in the French army, before the glories and tragedies of empire.
