1791

The year Queen Marie Antoinette, fearing capture by French revolutionaries, surreptitiously sent her jewellery to relatives in Vienna. The centuries-old collection of diamonds and pearls went on auction for the first time in November as part of Sotheby’s sale, Royal Jewels from the Bourbon Parma Family. It was described by the auction house as “one of the most important royal jewellery collections ever to appear on the market”.