The historic diamond bow brooch created for Empress Eugénie, the wife of Napoléon III, has been brought back to the Louvre, after almost over 100 years. The brooch had been part of the French Crown Jewels collection, auctioned on May 12, 1887 in the Salle des Etats of the Louvre. It was bought for 42,200 French Francs or €85,000, by jeweller Emile Schlesinger for Mrs. Caroline Astor, a member of a famous New York family. Almost 121 years later, the brooch has been put on auction by Christie’s for its New York sale and the Louvre and the Friends of the Louvre bought it in a private auction negotiated by François Curiel, President of Christie’s Europe, with the agreement of the owner. %% The brooch was created by Parisian jeweller François Kramer for Empress Eugénie in 1855. It was originally intended as a buckle for a diamond belt. Later, Eugénie asked one of her jewellers to make it more elaborate, and add five diamond pampilles and a pair of diamond tassels. The jewel was transformed into a magnificent stomacher: a decoration pinned to the chest, extending down to the waist. %% “For this purchase, we were able to make available to the Louvre a universal legacy (legs universel) from Mr and Mrs Rouffet, who were Friends of the Louvre and whose name we would like to associate with this superb jewel,” declared Marc Fumaroli of the Académie Française, President of the Friends of the Louvre. “The crown jewels are important among the nation’s treasures and we are thrilled to see the brooch of Empress Eugénie returning to France, thanks to the Friends of the Louvre, the generosity of Mr and Mrs Rouffet and the support of the French State,” added Henri Loyrette, President of the Louvre. %% How the jewel came up for auction was that in 1887, the French Government decided to hold a public auction of the once exclusive property of French queens and kings. The bow brooch was bought by the jeweller Emile Schlesinger for Caroline Astor, who insisted upon being called "The Mrs. Astor" by family and friends. The brooch, known as one of the most famous jewels of the Gilded Age, became commonly referred to as “Mrs. Astor’s diamond stomacher” and remained in the Astor family for over 100 years. “As a French citizen responsible for Jewelry at Christie’s, nothing could have pleased me more than to negotiate this sale of national importance. Christie’s is proud to have facilitated this historic return,” announced François Curiel, President of Christie’s Europe.