May, 3rd, 2012

Genève | Carats Éternité 

The Beau Sancy at Sotheby’s 

 

“A great flawless diamond, facet cut, weight 37 to 38 carats or thereabouts, set in a golden frame and the end of which hangs a great round pearl, flawless and perfect, of about 20 carats; also a great heart-shaped ruby set in gold at the base of which hangs a great pear-shaped pearl, for the price of 20,000 ecus. The large jewels were pladged and put in to the h ands of the said Sieur de Sancy that he might pawn them in Switzerl and, Germany or elsewhere with the charge that if they were pledged for less than 24,000 ecus. His Majesty will only pay the said Sancy the price for which they were pledged.”

Nicholas Harlay de Sancy, diplomat, financier and ardent monarchist, is remembered as the owner of the 55.23-carat shield-shaped diamond, the Sancy, one of the most celebrated gems in his tory. Sancy also owned another sizeable and beautiful diamond whose existence you just enjoyed, written January 31st, 1589.

The 400 year old Beau Sancy diamond, owned by His Imperial and Royal Highness Prince Georg Friedrich of Prussia, has only been shown publicly for four times in the last 50 years, and on the 15th May 2012 it will be sold at Sotheby’s in Geneva.

 

It was a gr andson of Prince Frederick Henry who, in 1689, ascended the throne of Engl and as William III. He inherited the Beau Sancy and gave it to his consort, Queen Mary II, as a wedding gift. The couple were childless so the diamond came in to the possession of another gr andson of the Prince of Orange, Frederick III, Elec tor Prince of Br andenburg, who, in 1701, became King of Prussia under the name of Frederick I. Valued at 300,000 Reichstalers, the Beau Sancy became the most important s tone in the Crown Jewels of Prussia and was set in the royal crown. In an inven tory of the crown jewels made in 1913 the diamond featured as the pendant to a necklace of 22 diamonds, part of a diamond suite which also included a large breast ornament, a pair of earrings and a fan.

The Beau Sancy is now in the possession of the head of the house of Hohenzollern, Prince Georg Friedrich of Prussia, great-great-gr andson of William II, the last Emperor of Germany.

L’Édi tor

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