Jewelry Porn: Napoleon's Bling in Australia

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

If you're in Victoria, Australia this week, then you must check out Napoleon Bonaparte's belongings at Australia's National Gallery of Victoria. The collection includes 300-pieces of Napoleon's jewelry, watches and silverware. Not to mention the furniture, paintings and other ornaments owned by the Emperor of France from 1804 and 1815.
The intricate designs, the precious jewels, the history behind every item... that's what drives me to blog about this industry. 

"Among the impressive collection on display is a 200-year old Breguet “touch” watch by French horologist Abraham-Louis Breguet. 

The watch belonged to Napoleon’s youngest brother, Jerome Bonaparte and is impressive not only because Breguet was considered the leading watchmaker of his day, but because the design of the watch was advanced for its time. 

Encrusted in old mine cut diamonds which stand in to indicate the hour, and pearls that indicate the half hour, the ornate arrow turns with the watch’s movements and tells the time without the wearer needing to open a cover. 

The watch was considered a forward piece of technology within that era, and was popular among younger people who wanted to know the time discreetly by feeling the face of the watch without the ceremony of taking the watch out of their pockets."
Check out some of the gorgeous pieces from the exhibition, titled "Napoleon: Revolution to Empire".














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