This is the Wittelsbach-Graff Blue diamond which will be on display with the Hope diamond. I prefer this colour to that of the Hope and there is speculation that both diamonds came from the same Indian mine.
The diamond's history goes back to 1664 when it was given by Philip IV of Spain to his daughter, the Infanta Margarita Teresa on her engagement to Emperor Leopold I of Austria. In 1772, the diamond passed to the Wittelsbachs, the ruling House of Bavaria.
Laurence Graff bought the diamond in December 2008 and he decided to repolish the stone, in the process reducing its 35.56 carats to an internally flawless 31.06 (the Hope is 45.52 carats)
and putting his own name to the stone.
Here are the two stones, Wittelsbach-Graff on the right and the Hope on the left, fluorescing under UV light.
Even with the re-cutting and re-polishing of the stone, Graff took great care to retain its original features. It has a top certification of internally flawless, type Ilb (the rarest), Fancy Deep Blue from the Gemological Institute of America.
Nothing to do with large blue diamonds but if anyone has this 4.75 Fuschia pink sapphire rolling around in a drawer, I would be interested in taking great care of it. I'll even pay the postage.
Witchy,
ReplyDeleteI've got a few broken cat-toys rolling around in my top drawer. If you send us a couple of grand to cover the postage I can forward them onto you if you like.
Knowing you, you'd send the cat.
ReplyDeleteI see that Prince Chuck is going to inspect the large gold hoard that was found last year. Did you get an invite?
Oddly enough, no. I think old Charlie fell out with me a couple of years ago when I sent him that invite to a party in a Parisian underpass.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of gems I heard that Charlie knocked back the offer to appear in DW...probably the only time he'd be perfectly at home.
ReplyDeleteI have a plastic pale pink faceted heart with a silver coloured backing; it measures 2.5 x 2.5 cm and fell off my grand-daughters toy tiara some time ago. Will that do instead?
ReplyDeleteI'll have one of each thanks.
ReplyDeleteoh and wv = bittyho.
ReplyDeletereally.
Before or after, Fleetwood?
ReplyDeleteJayne, DW? Que?
River, I could never deprive you of such a treasure.
Ha, Oz the internet always knows.
Spectacular as usual Jahteh. My wife's engagement ring is sans one of its original diamonds. That Hope thingy should fit nicely. Send it along, I'll fix you up for it later.
ReplyDeleteWitchy,
ReplyDeleteBoth.
Sweetiepies.
ReplyDeleteLadLitter, a tip from me, replace it with a cubic zirconia,she'll never know.
ReplyDeleteFleetwood, and I thought Phil the Greek was known as the rude royal, how ungrateful of Chuck.
Robbert, gorgeous sweetiepies if you're referring to the diamond goodies but knowing you, you could be perving on some tall blonde goddess.
They don't have to be tall.
ReplyDeleteWV: woodu.
Most definitely.