Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1905-07-08
STORY OF
THE REGENT
DIAMOND
At One Time Stolen and Hid
den In a Barn-->NOw
In a Crown

One Of the most beautiful diamonds
in the world is the Regent. It be-
longs to France. Besides its dimen- |
slOrs which are considerable, IL unites |
various qualities which further aug
ment its value When rough Il |
weighed 410 carats. It's present weight
is only 1876 carets. It's cutting which
is Of great excellence, required two
years of work II was valued in 1871
at 100000 francs. This diamond
was purchased in the rough state by the
grandfather Of William Pitt for S12,-
900 francs. The Duke OF Orleans, then
regent Of France, acquired it in 1717
for tho sum of S,375,0OO francs.
According to st. Simon, who gives
an interesting recital Of the purchase
Of tho stone, there is quite a different
version from that ordinarily accepted.
"Through an extremely rare oppor-
tunity an employe in the diamond
mines Of the Grand Mogul was able
TO extract one Of very large size. Ho
found means Of embarking and reach
ing Europe with his diamond. He took
IL TO England, where the king admired
il, without, however, deciding TO buy
Il. A model of glass was made in
England and the man sent with the
diamond a model to Law, who pro-
posed IL to the regent for the king.
The price frightened the regent, who
refused to buy IL.
"The state Of the finances was an
obstacle on which the regent insisted.
He feared mourning cenmre for so
large a purchase, while there was
troublein providing for the most press
ing necessities and many people were
left in suffering.
''I applauded this sentiment, but I
said to him that IL was not suitable to
exercise the samo economy for the
greatest king Of Europe as for pri-
vate individual; that the honor Of the
crown should be considered and the op-
portunity Of procuring a diamond
which would eclipse all others in Eu-
rope should not be lost. I did not leave
the Duke Of Orleans until I had OBJ
tanned the promise that the diamond
should be purchased. Law, before
speaking TO me, had represented to the
possessor OF the diamond that IL would
be impossible TO procure the sum that
ho had hoped for, and the loss that
would be occasioned by breaking IL up
into pieces, so that the price had been
reduced to 100000 francs, including
the scraps that would come from the
cutting. The bargain was concluded in
this way. The interest Of 100000
francs was paid until the whole amount
could be raised, and in the meantime
2,c00, 900 francs in precious stones was
bypotheeated." ="
In the celebrated robbery at the
Garde Meuble, in 1902, this stone was
stolen and concealed behind a roof
timber Of a barn. As a result Of a
proclamation IL was recovered by a |
municipal officer named Sergent.
The Regent was the most beautiful
jewel in the coronation crown of King
Louis XIV. Later, II was held by Van
lerberghe, banker, as a pledge for his
advances. A historian Of the times
states that the wife Of the banker took
the opportunity Of wearing IT while it
was in her husbands possession.
The First Consul in his turn pledged
the Regent to the Batayian govern.
mtnt to procure funds which were
lacking after the eighteenth Brumaire
Later he ornamented his Austerlitz
sword with the celebrated diamond,
which, in the words Of Vatout, might
we'll have dispensed with the ornament.
jewelers. Circular.