Napoleon
Viviane de Witt, CEO of De Witt, said a total of 500 limited edition watches are being designed fitted with half-millimeter strands of Napoleon's hair. Getty Images

Swiss watchmaker De Witt has announced plans to sell limited edition watches containing a few locks of the early 19th-century French emperor Napoleon.

Viviane de Witt, CEO of De Witt, said a total of 500 limited edition watches are being designed fitted with half-millimetre strands of Napoleon's hair, reported The Telegraph.

Napoleon was already quite idolised while he was alive, when he got his hair cut people picked it up and kept it.
- Viviane de Witt, CEO of De Witt

"Napoleon was already quite idolised while he was alive, when he got his hair cut people picked it up and kept it," said Viviane Witt.

The hair strands' extraction surgery began on Tuesday at the De Witt factory in Geneva.

Napoleon's hair locks were auctioned off earlier this month near Paris.

Viviane de Witt purchased several items at the auction containing the emperor's hair for a total of €29,600 (£23,507). The hair alone were expected to sell for €7,000 (£5,559).

De Witt's founder and Viviane de Witt's husband is a direct descendant of the youngest brother of Napoleon, Jerome Napoleon.

The hair originally belonged to Monaco's royal family, as part of a 1,000-piece set of Napoleon memorabilia.

The Napoleon-laden watches are expected to be priced at €8,000 (£6,350).

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