Interesting colored diamonds

[saqsay1]

I didn't know where else to put this so.......... I guess I'll start a new thread.

The Conde Pink Diamond also known as the Conde Diamond or Le Grand Conde gets its name from Louis II de Bourbon, the Prince of Conde, and the Commander of the French Army, who was presented the diamond as a token of appreciation by King Louis XIII of France in 1643, for the several successful military victories that were achieved on his behalf.



© Giraudon, Paris

Characteristics of the diamond
The Conde Pink diamond is a light pink, pear-shaped diamond weighing 9.01 carats.

The diamond is most probably a Type IIa diamond, which are nitrogen free, and free of all chemical impurities. However, the pink color is caused by the structural distortion of the crystals, due to the twisting and bending of the tetrahedral crystal units as the diamonds rose up from the earth's mantel to the surface. The distorted areas in the crystal changes the absorption spectrum of the diamond, causing the pink color. Thus the Conde Pink diamond is a plastically deformed Type IIa diamond.

In the list of famous pink diamonds, the Conde Pink occupies the last position, being only 9.01 carats in weight, but in terms of historical significance the diamond surpasses most other pink diamonds, as it has a history dating back to the mid-17th century.

[saqsay1]

I'm not crazy about the shape, but it is a nice color.

[clgwli]

I'm with you.  Not as keen on the shape, but it does have a lovely color.

[saqsay1]

The Emperor Maximilian Diamond
Maximilian was a member of the Imperial House of Hapsburg, the second son of Archduke Franz Charles of Austria and the younger brother of the Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph. Maximilian, a young man of decent liberal instincts, with the high Hapsburg forehead and the pouting Hapsburg lip, had all the prudishness of youth, combined with the snobbishness inevitable in a Hapsburg. As the second son without much of a formal role at the Austrian court and after a distinguished naval career, Maximilian retired to an idle life at Miramar, his idyllic medieval-style retreat overlooking the Adriatic near Trieste, with his young bride, Princess Charlotte of Belgium.

At an early age, Maximilian developed a keen interest in the sciences, particularly botany and he was fascinated by the New World. In 1860, he journeyed to the tropical forests of Brazil on a botanical expedition. While there, he acquired two exceptionally large diamonds which have been named after him: The Emperor Maximilian Diamond and The Maximilian Diamond. The Emperor Maximilian was a 41.94 carat antique cushion-cut diamond with a strong blue fluorescence which gives the diamond a soft luminosity in daylight. The second diamond was of a greenish-yellow tint and weighed 33 carats. After his return to Europe, Maximilian presented this smaller diamond to Charlotte, who wore it as a pendant. It is not known where either diamond was cut but it is possible that they were cut in Brazil, which has long possessed a diamond cutting industry, albeit on the smaller scale than in some other countries.

Maximilian and Mexico
As a far-reaching foreign policy initiative, Emperor Napoleon III of France set out to create a satellite catholic monarchy in Latin America with the aim of curbing the burgeoning power of the United States while promoting French economic and geopolitical interests in the New World. He thought this would be best monitored under a European prince and so in 1863, Napoleon extended the invitation to Maximilian to become Emperor of Mexico. Urged on by his ambitious wife Charlotte, Maximilian would only accept on condition that he had the active backing of France and a firm invitation from the Mexican people.

Empire, emperor, empress, throne, crown…the words resounded like triumphant fanfare in Maximilian and Charlotte’s ears. Charlotte was particularly eager to establish European rule in Mexico after her own father had rejected the Mexican crown in his youth. Additionally, it would simply give her something meaningful to do. She preferred a full and active life with duties and responsibilities and even difficulties as opposed to a frustrating existence contemplating the sea from the top of a rock at Miramar castle. Charlotte was so excited that she changed her name to Carlota, the Mexican equivalent of Charlotte.

On April 14, 1864, Maximilian and Charlotte set sail for Mexico aboard the Austrian battleship Novara. From the very beginning of the enterprise, the auguries had not been good. Maximilian and Charlotte arrived in Vera Cruz on May 31, 1864, to find that no arrangements had been made to give them a reception in any way worthy of their station. An overnight storm had blown down all the decorations which had been put up to welcome them, adding to the overall impression of muddle and indifference. What was worse, the people of the town, a strong-hold for republican sentiment, seemed far from overjoyed at the arrival of their new emperor and empress.

Neither Maximilian nor Charlotte were acquainted with the country and its problems, but it soon became clear that they had inherited a bankrupt and embattled kingdom. Maximilian, who was not only a natural scientist but an enlightened leader and a great humanist, planned to rule his domain with great benevolence, and to protect and uplift the position of native peasants in the country. But the reigning government lacked popular appeal and civil unrest was rampant. Although Napoleon sent troops to quell Mexican resistance, Maximilian soon realized that the French government had been misled by the conservatives. Mexicans did not want a foreign ruler at all. In addition, Benito Juarez, a native Mexican and the republican leader, constantly opposed Maximilian and the French.

Maximilian and the End
In 1866, under pressure from the United States, Napoleon backed away from his earlier promise and withdrew French troops from Mexico and ceased his financial aid to the mission. Maximilian had been abandoned. Though he considered abdication, Charlotte was against it and decided instead to travel to Europe and seek aid for her husband. But this desperate journey only resulted in her spiral into paranoia and insanity.

After the last French soldier left Mexico, the republicans quickly overwhelmed Maximilian’s army. They took the emperor captive and staged a show trial where Maximilian was sentenced to death. Some foreign governments petitioned to have the Emperor sent back to Europe, but it was in vain. At dawn on June 19, 1867, Maximilian, who was only 35 years old, and two of his generals were taken out to face a firing squad. It was a beautiful morning and on the way to the place of execution Maximilian reputedly said to his companions: "What a wonderful day! I have always wanted to die on a morning like this."

The Emperor Maximilian Diamond
Legend holds that Maximilian was wearing the Emperor Maximilian Diamond in a small satchel tied around his neck when he faced the firing squad. Following the execution, his remains were sent to Vienna and the Emperor Maximilian Diamond returned to Charlotte.  Upon news of his death, Charlotte’s condition worsened and she shut herself off from the outside world. The diamond was subsequently sold to help pay for expenses during Charlotte’s illness and it disappeared until 1919 when it returned to America. Maximilian’s widow lived on for another sixty years, hopelessly insane, dying in January 1927 in Brussels at the age of 86. Even in her final days, some say she still believed herself to be the Empress of Mexico.

In 1919, the Emperor Maximilian Diamond was purchased by a Chicago gem dealer, Ferdinand Holtz and was displayed in the 1934 Chicago World’s Fair as the highlight of the 'Century of Progress' exhibition. Despite several offers to buy it, Mr. Holtz refused to sell the diamond and it remained in his possession until his death in 1946. It was subsequently sold to a private collector in New York.

The name of the new owner has never been revealed and the diamond remained in her possession, mounted in a ring by Cartier, until Christie’s auctioned it in New York in 1982. It was expected that diamond would fetch $330,000 but it eventually sold for $726,000 to Laurence Graff, the London jeweler, who has a vast collection of notable and historic diamonds. In January 1983, Graff sold The Emperor Maximilian, together with two other important diamonds, in a single transaction to the same buyer, Madame Imelda Marcos, wife of the President of the Philippines. Subsequently, it was sold and re-cut in the 1990’s, to its current weight of 39.55 carats, and finally it was acquired by the present owner.

[saqsay1]

 The Maximilian Emerald Ring
The Maximilian Emerald is one of the largest and rarest emerald weighing 21.04-carat, emerald-cut, deep grass-green stone, with good clarity and transparency, and like all natural emeralds contains some inclusions.
 
Origin of Name
The "Maximilian Emerald Ring" gets its name from one of its owners, an ill-fated archduke of Austria Ferdinand Maximilian Joseph whose misguided attempt to rule Mexico ended in his assassination in 1864.
Current location of the gemstone
The emerald was set on a ring for Emperor Maximilian Joseph, but after his death changed hands and eventually came into the possession of Marjorie M. Post. It was donated to the National Museum of Natural History of the Smithsonian Institution by her in 1964. The emerald’s present setting by Cartier is enhanced by six baguette diamonds

[saqsay1]

Ever wonder how big  a 100 ct  FY diamond would look like?

No real info on this, but it was put on display in tokyo

[saqsay1]

Now that I think about it, D could wear this as a pinky ring 

[Mrs Mitchell]

Now, these awesome big stones are wonderful, but what I REALLY love is how the 'chain' is made from diamonds.

I think I've gone on and on about this before (Trinkette will likely confirm this...) but my dream necklace has an EC of about that size, on a 'chain' made of smaller ECs or asschers. So rare to see this look (probably because you need a 100ct centre stone, I'm guessing) but I am always happy to see a photo!

[saqsay1]

Mrs M.......how about a 100 ct asscher on a diamond chain?  

[clgwli]

I wonder how much that asscher would cost you?

[Mrs Mitchell]

Me particularly? I'd have to ask David. Maybe he does a discount for pieces that weigh in by the pound, rather than the carat. 

That asscher is gorgeous, Saqsay. If I was being super picky, I personally wouldn't mix step cuts and brilliant cuts in the chain. (I know, I know, they can look wonderful together, OMC has proved it over and over.) It's just an unreasonable prejudice of mine. 

[saqsay1]

Ever wonder what a 3106 ct diamond ring would look like? This is the cullinan diamond in it's uncut state. Talk about finger real estate............

[lovecolor]

Wow...I can't believe I'm saying this...but that looks a bit too heavy!   

[oldmancoyote]

Erm - not quite. The Cullinan was only about 10 cm wide... (4 inches). Which is still big, and at nearly one pound and a half definitely too heavy for wearing, but not quite as large as the "simulation"

[lovecolor]

Erm - not quite. The Cullinan was only about 10 cm wide... (4 inches). Which is still big, and at nearly one pound and a half definitely too heavy for wearing, but not quite as large as the "simulation"

But then again, I did promise myself to use hand weights while I did my aerobics...I'll have to take two please!    

[saqsay1]

Erm - not quite. The Cullinan was only about 10 cm wide... (4 inches). Which is still big, and at nearly one pound and a half definitely too heavy for wearing, but not quite as large as the "simulation"

Killjoy!