Jewelry has always been the ultimate language of a monarchy. It was a display of wealth, sure, but more importantly, it was an exhibition of raw power. Russia’s Catherine the Great is the most famous example—she was a voracious collector who famously wore her most dazzling jewels to meet with her generals. She even had diamond and gemstone dress trimmings sewn directly onto her gowns and shoes so that when she walked into a candlelit ballroom, she glittered in the light from head to toe and commanded every eye in the room. (If you want to dive deeper into her world, I highly recommend Robert K. Massie’s biography, Catherine the Great).

While the Iranian state treasury managed to keep its jewelry collection intact, global conflict and revolution historically fractured the majority of Europe's royal houses’ sparkly creations. The French Crown Jewels were tragically broken up and sold at auction in 1887 to prevent a monarchist uprising and finance a young republic. While some individual gems and historic sets were purchased by collector and jewelers such as Tiffany & Co, most of the pieces and gems were scattered globally. The few historic treasures reserved for French heritage were on display in the Louvre Museum—until a brazen, daylight heist in October 2025. While the heavy crowns and legendary Regent Diamond were left behind, eight priceless, historic sets vanished into the global black market, their ancient settings likely melted down and stones scattered once again or cut down to hide their origins.

In 1918, the Austro-Hungarian Empire collapsed, and Emperor Charles I and Empress Zita fled into exile bringing significant portions of the family's private jewelry collection with them to Switzerland. As they attempted to finance a restoration of the Hungarian throne, the family faced extreme financial strain, forcing them in the 1920’s to sell or pawn portions of their jewels to maintain their lifestyle and political ambition. Remarkably, having been thought destroyed or lost forever, the legendary Habsburg family's 137-carat yellow Florentine diamond (among other “lost jewels”) was revealed just this year to be resting safely in a Canadian bank vault. Empress Zita had smuggled it out of Europe in a simple cardboard suitcase, swearing her sons to a century of secrecy that just expired.

And last for this journal post, but certainly not least, we’ve all heard whispers of the Romanov jewels smuggled out during the Russian Revolution, stitched secretly into the linings of hats and coats. But mostly, like the French, the Soviet government eventually dismantled the royal jewels and sold them at international auctions in the 1920s and 1930s to fund industrialization, combat famine and rebuild the economy. While KGB archives have been found, detailing the inventory of the jewels, mostly the jewels’ fate remains a mystery. No one knows which pieces made it out of the country intact or which were pulled apart and sold as loose stones.

This makes it even more extraordinary when a magnificent suite of aquamarine and diamond floral dress trimmings from Catherine the Great’s own "Brilliant Room"  – a dedicated space in the Winter Palace where she displayed her collection – pops up for auction. This very month, Sotheby’s in New York is auctioning off this rare cache of Russian Imperial jewels that vanished into private hands a century ago. It makes you wonder how many other historic gems are sitting in a secret drawer right now, loved in private but hidden from the world….

These stories perfectly illustrate how fine jewelry is the ultimate, indestructible, portable store of wealth and history. Dynasties fall and borders change, but a gemstone survives it all – even if it gets recut. Today, you don’t need a royal title to buy jewelry. We purchase a jewel because we love it, because it marks a moment, a trip, a milestone, or a personal victory. While these materials carry undeniable tangible value, the true magic lies in the joy of wearable sentimentality. I’ve spent years sourcing amazing and exquisite materials to create a collection of modern heirlooms. Each piece is one-of-a-kind and waiting to start its next century of history with you. So, what will you be adding to your treasure chest to outlast the wobbliness of the modern world?