Zeenews Bureau
Geneva: Centuries old and one of the most famous diamonds, which had seen several generations of European royalty, was sold for 9.7 million dollars after it went under the hammer in Geneva on Tuesday.
Called the ‘Beau Sancy’, the 35 carat diamond has been worn by Marie de Medici, Queen consort of Henry IV, at her coronation in 1610.
At a Sotheby`s auction, five bidders vied with each other to get a hold of the diamond.
Finally the diamond was purchased by an anonymous telephone bidder. The buyer paid 9,042,500 Swiss francs for the pear-shaped, double rose cut diamond.
The diamond was put on the market by the House of Prussia.
The diamond is traced to have originated from the mines near Golconda in India. Then it was acquired by Nicolas de Harlay, Lord of Sancy, in Constantinople in the 1500.
The diamond was later bought by Henri IV of France in 1604 when his wife persuaded him to do so.
After this, the diamond was bought by the Dutch and was used to seal the wedding of Willem II of Orange Nassau to Mary Stuart, who was the daughter of Charles I of England.
The first king of Prussia got it placed in the new royal crown 1702. Subsequently, it passed through several generations of the House of Prussia.
