Ibet you've never spent as much time in your entire life ruminating over a brooch as you have this week.

In fact — I bet you've never even said the word "brooch" out loud before this week.

The brooch — the least-favoured accessory of all accessories — has now become a little cause celebre of its own, a thing of wonder, speculation, embarrassment and barely suppressed glee, as two of the things form part of the outrageous haul of French crown jewels taken from the Louvre in Paris by as-yet unapprehended thieves. Loading Instagram content

One of the brooches, Empress Eugénie's Reliquary Brooch, which contains rare fat, pink diamonds, now has its own little account on Instagram, where she screeches with delight about how after years of being ignored in the same dusty casement as crow

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