Rare Pink Diamond "Grand Condé" on Display Nearly 100 Years After Theft
France's historic "Grand Condé" pink diamond is on public display for the first time in nearly a century, following its theft in 1926.
The historic "Grand Condé" pink diamond from France is being exhibited for the first time in almost 100 years since its theft in 1926. This nine-carat, pear-shaped gem was stolen from the Château de Chantilly in October 1926 and hidden inside a hollowed-out apple. The diamond was recovered weeks later when a hungry maid at the thieves' hotel took a bite of the apple.
Highlights
- The nine-carat, pear-shaped "Grand Condé" diamond is on display for the first time since its 1926 theft.
- It was found hidden in a hollowed-out apple after being stolen.
- The diamond is one of the few royal jewels to have survived the French Revolution.
- The exhibition is open until January 3 at the Condé Museum in the Château de Chantilly, 50 kilometers north of Paris.
Details
The "Grand Condé" diamond was first documented in 1740 in an inventory belonging to Louis Henri de Bourbon, Prince of Condé. It later became part of the collection of Queen Marie-Amélie, wife of French King Louis Philippe I, and subsequently her son, Prince Henri d'Orléans. Prince Henri bequeathed the diamond, along with thousands of artworks, to the Institut de France, which now owns the Château de Chantilly and its Musée Condé collection.
Mathieu Deldicque, the museum's director, noted that while the apple story might seem improbable, it was widely reported in newspapers at the time. Deldicque has faced questions regarding potential risks for the exhibition, given a recent surge in thefts from European cultural institutions over the past 12 months. Although the diamond's insurance value was not disclosed, extensive academic studies have been conducted to ensure its unique identifiability.
Why it matters
Naturally occurring pink diamonds are exceptionally rare and often command prices in the tens of millions of dollars. According to Sotheby's, the highest price ever paid for a pink diamond at auction was $71.2 million (approximately £53.6 million) in 2017. The exhibition of the "Grand Condé" is significant due to both its historical importance and its rarity, drawing considerable attention with its intriguing theft story.