Toi et Moi. Empress Joséphine Bonaparte’s Famous Engagement Ring
The story of the engagement ring Napoleon gave to Josephine and the style it inspired.
2 min read
As a third-generation jeweler, I’ve had the great joy of being involved in a lot of engagement ring purchases. Naturally, I’m interested in famous engagement rings, and today I thought I would write a little about Napoleon’s true love and the ring he gave her. Empress Joséphine Bonaparte's engagement ring was special because it was a unique ring with a simple design that symbolized Napoleon's love for her. Toi et Moi is French for you and me. It’s a lovely romantic gesture isn’t it? The original ring sold for almost a million dollars at auction. Today the two stone style is often called a Joséphine now. In the 18th Century, it was called a toi et moi style.
The ring featured two pear-shaped gemstones, a blue sapphire and a white diamond. They were set side by side on a gold band. Although it is very historically significant, at the time, the ring was described as modest, which reflected Napoleon’s limited resources. Napoleon gave the ring to Joséphine in 1796. The ring is powerful symbol of Napoleon's passion for Joséphine, passion that never waned even though the marriage was annulled. Napoleon was under pressure to provide an heir. Although Joséphine had daughters of her own, she was older than Napoleon and unable to bear more. She agreed to the annulment and Napoleon decreed that she was to have the power and title of empress regardless of the state of their marriage.
Naturally, that included the ring, which she kept until her passing and her daughter received it. It was sold at auction as part of a celebration of her the two-hundred and fiftieth anniversary of Josephine’s death. The story of love is romantic and beautiful, I think. The romance was famous and so was the ring.
If you need an engagement ring in San Diego, I would love to help. You can call me or simply stop by my La Jolla showroom. I can promise you that we’ll treat you fairly and do all we can to make the ring everything you could hope for it to be.
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