Princess Sibylla’s Sapphire Parure

Earlier this week, it was announced that Princess Sibylla of Sweden’s magnificent Sapphire Demi-Parure is among the Jewels of the late Princess Birgitta of Sweden going on Auction in the Sotheby’s ‘Royal & Noble Jewels’ Sale in Geneva next month!

A magnificent Impressive Sapphire and Diamond Demi-Parure, comprising a necklace and a pair of pendent earrings featuring a graduated series of cabochon sapphires, framed by millegrain-set old European-cut diamonds, highlighted by single- and rose-cut diamonds.

By tradition the sapphires belonged to Dagmar of Denmark, Empress Maria Feodorovna of Russia (1847-1928)

Wedding present from Tsar Ferdinand of Bulgaria (1861-1948)

Princess Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Duchess of Västerbotten (1908-1972)

Princess Birgitta of Sweden, Princess of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen (1937-2024)

When Princess Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha married Prince Gustav Adolf of Sweden, she received a magnificent Sapphire and Diamond Necklace as a wedding gift from Tsar Ferdinand of Bulgaria, which reportedly contained large cabochon sapphires which reportedly once belonged to Empress Maria Feodorovna of Russia.

The abdicated Tsar Ferdinand of Bulgaria (1861-1948) gifted the bride this impressive sapphire and diamond necklace. At the time the sapphires which are currently set on the pair of earrings were pendants on the front of the necklace. According to tradition, the cabochon sapphires belonged to the last Russian Tsar’s mother, Tsarina Maria Feodorovna (1847-1928). She survived the Russian Revolution and spent her last years in her native Denmark. Presumably the Bulgarian Tsar purchased these sapphires from her during that time. Tsar Ferdinand was a noted connoisseur of jewels and gemstones, his collection included a coloured diamond tie pin designed as a fleur-de-lys (sold in these rooms on 13 November 2024) and he acquired a highly important pair of sapphire earrings and a natural pearl and diamond brooch from the sale of the French Crown Jewels in 1887. Tsar Ferdinand spent his exile living in Coburg, he was in fact born into the junior Austro-Hungarian branch of the Saxe-Coburg and Gotha family known as Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-Kohary. His dynastic link to Sibylla and the fact that he lived in the town which was once her father’s capital would explain the importance of his wedding gift.

Princess Sibylla wore the Sapphire Necklace with her iconic Connaught Diamond Tiara on several occasions over the years, including for the Wedding of Prince Christian of Schaumburg-Lippe and Princess Feodora of Denmark in 1937.

Princess Sibylla prominently wore her sapphire and diamond necklace for decades. The necklace can be seen on countless photos of Princess Sibylla, often worn together with one of the numerous historical tiaras that make up the Swedish Royal collection. In Sweden and all over the world, the Royal family is much admired for the way they share the enjoyment of their highly prestigious, historical jewellery collection with the public, an act of generosity underscoring the social covenant between the monarchy and the nation.

At some stage two pendants from the front of the necklace were removed to make up the present pair of earrings, the fitted case was adapted to reflect this modification. Additionally the imprint in the fitted case shows that the necklace was lengthened as well.

Princess Sibylla wore the Sapphire Necklace without the pendants on several occasions through the 1950s and 1960s, usually paired with the heirloom Vasa Earrings.

On several occasions, Princess Sibylla loaned the Sapphire Necklace to her daughters, Princess Margaretha and Princess Christina.

Princess Sibylla also sometimes loaned her sapphire demi-parure to her daughters who took on more representational duties as they grew into their twenties. Unfortunately, Princess Sibylla suddenly passed away in 1972, the year before her son became King.

Eventually, the Princess Sibylla’s Sapphire Necklace was inherited by her daughter, Princess Birgitta, who wore in a handful of occasions over the years, among them the Wedding of Princess Christina of Sweden and Tord Magnuson at the Royal Palace in Stockholm in 1974.

The sapphire and diamond demi-parure was inherited by Sibylla’s daughter Princess Birgitta. In 1961, Princess Birgitta had married Prince Johann Georg of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen (1932-2016) who was a noted art historian. Together they lived in Munich and had three children. A life-long passionate golfer, Princess Birgitta resided mainly in Majorca during the second half of her life. All through the decades, she assisted her brother in representational functions and greatly enjoyed wearing the magnificent historical jewels from either her personal collection or the Swedish Royal collection.

More recently, Princess Birgitta wore Princess Sibylla’s Sapphire Necklace for the Nine Prong Tiara for the Wedding of Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden in 2010 and with the Connaught Diamond Tiara for the Wedding of Princess Madeleine of Sweden in 2013.

She wore the sapphire and diamond demi-parure on many occasions, most notably at the wedding celebrations of her nieces Crown Princess Victoria and Princess Madeleine in 2010 and 2013 respectively.

After Princess Birgitta’s death in 2024, the Princess Sibylla’s magnificent Sapphire Demi-Paure is among the Jewels of the late Princess Birgitta going on Auction in the Sotheby’s ‘Royal & Noble Jewels’ Sale in Geneva. The pre-sale estimate is 300,000 – 500,000 CHF.