The Golconda mines have yielded some of the best diamonds known to man as a result of which the term Golconda has come to be popularly used to refer to any diamond that has incredible transparency, clarity and whiteness. These attributes are generally found in rare type-IIa natural diamonds that are free from nitrogen that gives regular diamonds their yellow tint.
Beau Sancy, an important diamond from the world-renowned Golconda mines, will come under the gavel at Sotheby’s auction, Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels, in Geneva on May 15. It was worn by Marie de Medici in her crown at her coronation as the Queen Consort of the French king Henri IV in 1610. Weighing 34.98 carats, it is expected to fetch $ 2 million to $ 4 million (approx. Rs 9.80 crore to Rs 19.60 crore) reported in Times of India on 29th February edition.
The report further sayd that the modified pear double rose cut diamond, named after the Lord of Sancy Nicolas de Harlay (1546-1629) who first acquired it in Constantinople sometime in mid-1500s, has been passed down through the royal families of France, England, Prussia and the House of Orange-Nassau of the Netherlands.
Sharing the details about the historic diamond, Maithili Parekh, Director, Sotheby’s India, said, “The Beau Sancy is one of the most fascinating and romantic gems ever to appear at auction. It is most likely to have originated from the mines in south-central India near the city of Golconda (modern day Hyderabad), the source of history’s best known diamonds like the Hope, the Kohinoor and the Regent.” Parekh adds that the Beau Sancy was bought for 75,000 livres by Henri IV and gifted to his wife. “The queen of France had long desired the stone, particularly after learning that Lord of Sancy had sold a larger stone, today known as the Sancy, to King James I of England. In a testament to the importance the queen placed on the diamond, the Beau Sancy was mounted atop the crown that she wore at her coronation in 1610,” informs Parekh. The Beau Sancy has been shown publicly a few times earlier and will be showcased in Hong Kong, New York, Rome, Paris, London, Zurich and Geneva before the auction.
The Kohinoor is inarguably the most famous Golconda diamond. Weighing 186 carats, it is part of the British crown jewels today. Its acquisition by Persian conqueror Nadir Shah in 1739 by the Mughal emperor Muhammad Shah is part of the legends associated with medieval India. The biggest known Golconda diamond, however, is the Regent, weighing more than 410 carats when discovered in the 18th century.
It was named thus as it was sold by the English to the regent of France and went on to rest in the crown of Marie Antoinette and Napoleon’s sword later on. It is presently housed at the Louvre museum in Paris. Another well-known Golconda diamond is the Hope, blue in colour and weighing 44-carat. It is housed in the Smithsonian museum, Washington.
Worn by Marie de Medici on her crown at her coronation as the Queen Consort of the French king Henri IV in 1610, Beau Sancy, weighing 34.98 carats, is expected to fetch $2 million to $ 4 million (approx. Rs 9.80 crore to Rs 19.60 crore)
With the Times input