Beau Sancy

The Beau Sancy is a 34.98-carat (6.996 g) modified "pear double rose cut" diamond[1] found in India that has been owned by a number of European royal houses. In May 2012, it was sold at Sotheby's auction in Geneva for $9.57 million.[2] The original estimated price of $2 million was lifted five times during the eight-minute battle between five buyers, before the diamond[3] was sold to one of them who remained anonymous.

Antoine Pesne: Elisabeth Christine with the Beau Sancy in a bow tie (1739)
Copy of the Beau Sancy

History

The Beau Sancy diamond takes its name from Nicolas de Harlay, Lord of Sancy, who brought the diamond to France from India where he had been the French ambassador. Its larger sibling diamond - usually only called the Sancy - was sold to James I of England, who placed it in the Mirror of Great Britain. In 1604, the Beau Sancy was bought French king Henry IV as a gift for his wife, Queen Marie de' Medici.

From Marie de' Medici, it passed to the Dutch King William, later William III of England, and his wife Queen Mary II. In 1701 it passed from the Dutch royal family to Frederick I of Prussia[4], where it was to be used in the new royal crown of Prussia.

When the King of Prussia and German Emperor Wilhelm II abdicated the throne and went into exile after the First World War, the stone remained in Berlin. At the end of Second World War, it was transferred to a bricked-up crypt for safe-keeping, where it was found by British troops and returned to the estate of the House of Prussia.[5]

It was sold to an anonymous buyer in 2012 for over $9 million and has not been publicly exhibited since.[6]

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References
  1. Adamson, Thomas. "Sotheby's to sell 400-year-old diamond". Associated Press. Retrieved 23 April 2012.
  2. "'Legendary' Beau Sancy diamond sells for $9.57 million". Archived from the original on 2012-05-17.
  3. "Beau Sancy diamond sold for a $9.57 million". diamondsinstyle.com. Retrieved 22 May 2013.
  4. Willsher, Kim (16 May 2012). "Le Beau Sancy diamond". The Guardian. London.
  5. "'Legendary' Beau Sancy diamond sells for $9.57 million". Archived from the original on 2012-05-17.
  6. "'Royal' diamond sells for $9.7m". BBC News. 2012-05-16. Retrieved 2020-08-07.
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