The Regent diamond, which was found uninjured in the ditch of the Champs d’Elysées, is in reality the most beautiful diamond yet known in the world. It is not the largest, but it is the most perfect of all the paragons, being almost faultless in its transparency and purity, as well as in its exact and symmetrical form.
It derives its name from the fact that it was purchased and added to the French casket by the Regent of France. This magnificent gem was found in the diamond mines of Puteal, about one hundred and thirty-five miles from the city of Golconda. It weighed in its natural condition four hundred and ten karats, but during the process of cutting it was reduced to 136¹⁴⁄₁₆ karats. A Parsee merchant by the name of Jamcund, who was a famous collector of diamonds, obtained possession of the stone and brought it to Madras, where he sold it to the English Governor, William Pitt, for $60,000. Pitt brought the stone safely to London, and, after having had it cut, offered it for sale. The Royal House of England declined to invest in the gem; but after long negotiations the Duke of Orleans, Regent of France during the minority of Louis XV., purchased it in 1717 for the sum of 3,375,000 francs. Seventy-four years afterwards a commission of experts reckoned its value at 12,000,000 francs, and even this enormous sum is exceeded by the valuation of the present day.
Napoleon, after establishing his fortunes, redeemed the Regent from the Dutch bankers, and had it set in the handle of the sword of state. Since then it has been removed and so arranged in its setting as to be placed at will either in the crown or used separately.
To the historian this beautiful gem is singularly interesting, for it has indirectly exercised a mighty influence upon the destinies of Europe and the progress of civilization. It was of infinite aid to Napoleon after the 18th Brumaire; and probably without the help of the little glittering pebble as a collateral for the Dutch loan, the decisive battle of Marengo never would have been fought. And it is no less certain that William Pitt, England’s Premier, never would have been the leading statesman of Europe had not his grandfather acquired the diamond in India and established the prosperity of his family by its sale. Pitt was the master of European politics; and even after his life was crushed out by the defeat at Austerlitz, the heritage of his genius and his hate was apparent in every coalition, every blow, against Napoleon that finally culminated at Waterloo. Therefore, in reviewing the history of the Regent diamond, the philosopher might be tempted to say that it was to the same gem, by a singular fatality or caprice of fortune, the “Great Captain” indirectly owed his success and his downfall.
The jewels belonging to the Crown of France, as collected and restored by Napoleon, and increased by the good taste of the succeeding rulers of the country, are of great beauty and value. It is, indeed, one of the finest collections of Europe. The casket, at the present time, contains sixty perfect diamonds, varying in weight from 25 to 28 karats, besides the splendid and matchless Regent. The actual crown displays eight great diamonds of the purest water, weighing from 19 to 28 karats each, besides the Regent, which may be adapted at will.
During the Universal Exposition at Paris, in 1855, the jewels of the Crown were displayed to the public. Many of the gems were mounted for the occasion in new parures; and the arrangement presented one of the most charming exhibitions ever seen in civilized countries.
We will now turn to the history of one of the lost diamonds of the Crown, and relate the facts and hypotheses concerning it as fully as we have been able to collect them. They form, indeed, a perplexing theme.
The beautiful diamond inventoried as the Sancy, and of the weight of 33¹²⁄₁₆ karats and valued at 1,000,000 francs, was also stolen and never recovered. This gem has been associated with the fortunes of the redoubtable Burgundian warrior, Charles the Bold; and its history has done more to perpetuate his name than the record of all his misdeeds and his desperate battles. To prove, however, that this is the identical gem lost to the Swiss will be a difficult task; for the antiquaries have unearthed more Sancy diamonds than there were “Richmonds in the field.” The name of Sancy has, indeed, become famous by embracing in one story the fortunes of three distinct gems.
The erudite King has patiently traced out the traditions connected with the name of Sancy, and appears to prove that three stories instead of one are included in the history of Baron Sancy. But the stone that was stolen from the French casket in 1792 is inventoried at the weight of 33¹²⁄₁₆ karats, while the gem that has lately gone back to India, and is supposed to be the stolen gem, weighs quite 54 karats. Here is a new mystery for the antiquaries to clear away; or did Delattre and his associates, who made out this inventory with exceeding care, write 33 instead of 53?
The histories of these diamonds are so interesting that we will attempt to repeat them here, following, in part, the views of Mr. King. Not long after the invention, by Berquen, of diamond-cutting by the process of abrasion, Charles the Bold, then in the full blaze of martial glory, submitted to him three large rough diamonds. The native of Bruges succeeded so well in polishing them, that Charles presented him with the princely sum of 3,000 ducats.