Grand noeud de corsage de l'impératrice Eugénie

Look closely at how the stones are set: a great ribbon bow built entirely from white, clear gems, with two scrolling loops curling out from a central knot. Beneath it, two long tails of densely packed stones end in tapering tassels, and between them four chains of graduated stones fall away toward dark, pointed tips.

What makes this piece remarkable is the way it turns a bow, something soft and fabric-like, into something that catches light like water. Each loop is formed from small stones arranged in overlapping curls, so the surface shimmers rather than sits flat. The long tails and chains are graduated, so the eye moves down the jewel as if following the drop of a real ribbon.

The source names the goldsmith and jeweller François Kramer as its maker, and lists silver, diamond and gold among its materials. The surviving information stops there: it does not describe how the piece was worn, where it was displayed, or how it was received at the time, so those questions remain open.