History and Travels of The Hope Diamond # 4 – A Journey to France

Portrait of King Louis XIV of France, by Hyacinthe Rigaud Source – Wikipedia

Jean Baptiste Tavernier Source – Wikipedia

King Louis XIV

• Jean Baptiste Tavernier bought the Hope Diamond to France and sold it to King Louis XIV along with many other stones for approximately 147 Kilograms of Gold
• There he also bought Patent of Nobility from the King’s Finance Minister
• The Tavernier Diamond was provided to the Court Jeweller Sieur Pitau( Possible Alternate Name – Jean Pitau)
• This was then recut into 69 carat stone
• It was later known as The French Blue / Blue Diamond of the Crown of France / Diament Bleu de la Couronne de France

Source – Mineralsciences.si.edu

• The French Blue was set in gold and suspended in neck ribbon
• It took Pitau two years to complete this design.
• 1st Sept 1715 – King Louis XIV died of Gangrene
• It is speculated that half of the Travernier’s Diamond was cut and sold later to Charles II, Duke of Brunswick, hence the name Brunswick Blue (Source – langantiques.com), which is a different adventure altogether

King Louis XV

Portrait of King Louis XV of France, by Hyacinthe Rigaud, Source – Wikipedia

Portrait of King Louis XV of France by Maurice Quentin de la Tour

• After the death of King Louis XIV, the French Blue, was inherited by King Louis XV of France
• 1749 – King Louis appointed court jeweler Andre Jacquemin  to reset the Diamond.
• He wanted it in a different cut so that he can wear it as a ceremonial jewellery for the Order of Golden Fleece (More Info – Wikipedia)

Order of the Golden Fleece, Source – museumdiamonds.com

• 10 May 1774 – Death of King Louis XV by smallpox

King Louis XVI

• The French Blue was then inherited by King Louis XVI

King Louis XVI of France, by Antoinne Francoise Callet, Source – Wikipedia

• It was used by his Wife Marie Antoinette for personal adornment

Portrait of Marie Antoinette in Coronation Robes, by Jean Baptiste Gautier Dagoty, Source – Wikipedia

• It was placed in a pendant for Marie Antoinette for a brief time
• 1787 – It was removed by Mathurin Jacques Brisson for scientific research

Mathurin Jacques Brisson, Source – Wikipedia

• The diamond was returned shortly to its original place shortly thereafter
• 11 Sept. 1792 – While King Louis XVI and his family were imprisoned, the Diamond was stolen by a group of thieves who broke into the Royal Storehouse (Garde – Mueble)
• 21st Jan 1793 – King Louis XVI was beheaded
• 16th Oct 1793 – Marie Antoinette was beheaded
• 23rd June 1806 – Death of Mathurin Jacques Brisson
• The French Blue was lost in history for Twenty Years

History and Travels of The Hope Diamond – List Of Articles in Chronological Order

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