A historical jewel valued at over one million dollars, discovered in a shipwreck off the coast of Florida, was showcased for the first time in Miami, in a video by the Cuban jeweler Carlos Marcelín and collector Antonio Sánchez Bretón.
It is the only missing piece of a gold necklace belonging to 17th-century European royalty. It spent centuries underwater and, after its discovery, was carefully kept for several decades by a collector in Miami who has decided to unveil it exclusively on Carlos Marcelín's social media.
“Nobody has seen this piece. We have kept it stored away, and we wanted to honor you by presenting it because you have helped us a lot,” Sánchez expressed to Marcelín in the video shared on social media.
It is likely that this jewel belonged to Infanta Isabel because it was part of the treasures transported by one of the Spanish fleets that sank in the seventeenth century. The object retains coral sediments from spending so many centuries under the sea. Its current owner possesses a certificate of authenticity.
“This was the jewelry worn by royalty, and what’s unique is that this necklace was the only one that traveled on El Atocha,” detailed the collector, referring to the historic treasure of the Spanish galleon "Nuestra Señora de Atocha" that sank in 1622.
The Key West Museum expressed interest in acquiring the piece, but for now, no donation has been finalized. "We would like someone to purchase it and donate it to the museum, so it will always remain in good hands," said Sánchez.
The jewel, unique in its kind and regarded as the missing piece of the necklace in the Key West Museum, has generated significant interest among experts and collectors due to its historical, aesthetic, and symbolic value. It is a vestige of the opulence and tragedy of the Spanish fleets that sank off the coast of Florida more than 400 years ago.
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