Napoleon: Yorkshire shop's plea over Empress Josephine’s missing jewellery as Ridley Scott’s Napoleon opens in UK cinemas

Audiences round the world have flocked to cinemas to see Ridley Scott's spectacular big budget movie Napoleon starring Joaquin Phoenix and Vanessa Kirby.

For Robert Ogden, who, along with his brother Ben, runs the famous Harrogate jewellery store established in 1893, the new biopic on the legendary late French emperor and military genius has awoken a real-life mystery – whatever happened to Empress Josephine’s famous diamond necklace?

"Our ancestor, our great uncle Captain William Ogden, who was a pearl and diamond merchant, bought Empress Josephine’s famous diamond necklace in 1933,” said Robert Ogden.

Plea over Empress Josephine’s missing jewels - Robert Ogden and brother Ben outside Ogden of Harrogate jewellery store which was first established in 1893. (Picture Simon Hulme)

"The Daily Mirror cutting dated December 22, 1933 says the necklace was bought by Captain William Ogden at a “price which was not divulged, but which is said to run into thousands of pounds.”

"The article quoted a ‘member’ of the Ogden firm saying: “It is a wonderful range of diamonds of fine colour, and they are in the old gold setting of the period. They are in a red leather case with a crown engraved and the initial ‘J’ underneath."

"A further story in the Nottingham Evening Post on December 22, 1933, said the necklace was purchased from a ‘French source’ in London.

"It quoted Captain Ogden’s manager, Mr K.C. Drayson saying: “There’s no doubt that it was given to her by Napoleon. Negotiations have been going on for some time, and the necklace was brought from France some weeks ago.”

A tiara which is believed to have once belonged to Empress Josephine and handled by Ogden of Harrogate. (Picture contributed)

Wrapped in the mists of time, there is a second mystery linked to Napoleon and Josephine which the Ogden brothers would love to solve.

"We have archival evidence of a tiara which belonged to Josephine that was sold to a lady who wanted a statement piece for King George VI’s coronation which took place in 1937,” added Robert.

"The late Harrogate historian, Malcolm Neesam confirms that our shop was involved. Malcolm wrote: “The Company acquired the famous diamond coronet which had been created at the command of the Emperor Napoleon for his wife Josephine. The coronet was sold to a Lady of title, who wore it to great effect at the Coronation.”

But that, it seems, is where the trail runs cold on the whereabouts of Josephine’s jewellery.

Harrogate connection - Ridley Scott's spectacular new big budget movie Napoleon stars Joaquin Phoenix and Vanessa Kirby. (Picture contributed)

Ridley Scott’s action-packed new historical epic focuses on Napoleon Bonaparte’s rise to power on and off the battlefield, as well as his tempestuous relationship with Empress Joséphine.

As a jeweller with a heritage going back 130 years, the Ogden family business has long played its own role in history, having sold many pieces associated with aristocrats, royalty and film stars.

Notable London customers in the past included Winston Churchill, Cary Grant, and Sophia Loren.

Earlier this year, Ogden’s hosted an exhibition on James R Ogden, who founded the business in 1893, who valued the gold in Tutankhamun’s coffin in the 1930s and worked with many leading archaeologists of his day.

But the new Hollywood film has re-energised the Ogden’s family interest in solving the mystery of what happened to Josephine’s jewels.

Robert Ogden said: “It would be wonderful to find out where the jewellery is today and who has them now. It is such a romantic symbol of one of the world’s greatest love affairs.”