The rare blue Wittelsbach Diamond is on a world tour. Visitors to the American Museum of Natural History in New York were the first to have the opportunity to see it. The 35.56 carat diamond is considered to be one of the most expensive gemstones ever sold at auction. In 2008, British jeweler Laurence Graff bought it for 24.3 million dollars at Christie’s in London.
The gemstone was brought to Europe by medieval French traveler and trader Jean-Baptiste Tavernier. This adventurer and treasure seeker made his name by delivering two rare blue diamonds from the East Indies. They remain the most perfect and valuable diamonds in the world – the Wittelsbach Diamond and the Hope Diamond. The latter, also called the French Blue, was sold in 1668 to King Louis XIV of France, while the former was presented to Margaret Theresa of Spain to mark her engagement with Leopold I in 1664. The Blue Wittelsbach Diamond became part of first the Austrian and then the Bavarian royal collections. It was in private hands since 1964 and was then sold at auction.
Rare blue diamond on display in New York
14:42 GMT 01.11.2010 (Updated: 19:52 GMT 19.10.2022)
© RIA Novosti
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The rare blue Wittelsbach Diamond is on a world tour. Visitors to the American Museum of Natural History in New York were the first to have the opportunity to see it. The 35.56 carat diamond is considered to be one of the most expensive gemstones ever sold at auction. In 2008, British jeweler Laurence Graff bought it for 24.3 million dollars at Christie’s in London.
