Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1905-08-29
sToh, OF A GREAT DIAMOND.
How the Regent Came Into the Pos
session of the Duke of Orleans.

SCSSiO0 Oi Tic DukSs OF OFtSdHSs
One of the most beautiful diamonds
in the world is the Regent It belongs
to France. Beside sits dimensions,
which are considerable, it unites var
ious qualities which further augment
it's value. When rough it weighed 410
carats. It's present weight is only 1876
carats. Its cutting, which is of great
excellence, required two years of
work. 1t was valued in 1871 at 12,000,-
600 francs. This diamond was pur-
chased in the rough state by the
grandfather of William Pitt for 342, 900
francs. The Duke of Orleans, then
Regent of France, acquired it in I'LL
for the sum of 3,375,OO francs.
According to st. Simon, who gives
an interesting recital of the purchase
of the stone, there is quite different
version from that ordinarily accept
ed.
Through an extremely rare oppor-
tunity an employee in the diamond
mines of the Grand Mogul was able
to extract one of very large size. He
found means of embarking and reach
ing Europe with his diamond. He
took it to England, where the king ad-
mired it, without, however, deciding
to buy it. A model of glass was made
in England and the man was sent
with the diamond and model to Law,
who proposed it to the Regent for the
King. The price frightened the Re.
gent, who refused to buy it.
'"The state of the finances was an
obstacle on which the Regent insisted.
He feared mourning censure for so
large a purchase, while there was
trouble in providing for the most pres
sing necessities and many people were
left in suffering.
Il applauded this sentiment, but /
said to him that it was not suitable to
exercise the same economy for the
greatest King of Europe as for pri-
vate individual; that the honor of the
Crown should be considered and the
opportunity of procuring a diamond
which would eclipse all others in Eu-
rope should not be lost. | did not
leave the Duke of. Orleans until | had
obtained the promise that the dia-
mond should not be purchased. Law,
before speaking to me, had represent
ed to the possessor of the diamond
that it would be impossible to pro-
cure the sum that he had hoped for
and the loss that would be occasions
ed by breaking it 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
100000 francs in precious stones
was hypothecated."
In the celebrated robbery at the
Garde Meuble, in 1892, this stone was
stolen and concealed behind a roof
timber of barn. AS a result of
proclamation it was recovered by a
municipal officer named Sergent.
The Regent was the most beautiful
jewel in the coronation crown of King
Louis XIV. Later, it was held by Van
lerberghe, banker, as a pledge for
his advices. 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 pledg-
ed the Regent to the Batavian Gov
eminent to procure the funds which
were lacking after the 18th Brumaire.
Later he ornamented his Austerlitz
sword = with the celebrated diamond,
which, in the words of Vatout, might
well have dispensed with ornament
Jewellers Weeklyn.