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The Austrian Yellow

Official History--A Romantic Story--A Great Diamond Mistaken for a Piece of Glass--Fact and Fiction--Charles the Bold and "The Florentine"--A Splendid "Cap of Maintenance."

THE history and identity of this stone have given rise to much controversy; but there can be no longer any reasonable doubt that it is the same gem which Tavernier tells us he saw "more than once" amongst the treasures of the Grand Duke of Tuscany, and which has been variously known as the "Tuscan," the "Florentine," and the "Austrian." He says that "it weighs 139 1/2 carats, is pure and of fine form, cut on all sides in facets, and of a citron tint," a description corresponding in every respect to that of the stone under consideration. It was the largest diamond in Europe in his time, but owing to its citron or yellow colour was not so highly esteemed as it would otherwise have been. According to the rule given by Tavernier for calculating the market value of large stones, he finds that "this diamond should be worth 2,608,335 livres. It has been in the possession of the House of Austria since the time of Maria Theresa, and the subjoined official account of it is embodied in the recently issued Catalogue of the Objects contained in the Treasury of the Imperial and Royal House of Austria, kindly forwarded to us by the Austrian Ambassador in London:-- "The 'Florentine,' also called the 'Great Florentine diamond,' actually forming part of a hatbutton, is known to be one of the largest diamonds in the world. It weighs 133 1/3 carats of Vienna, but is rather yellow. The stone is cut in nine surfaces covered with facets forming a star with nine rays. This jewel was once the property of Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, who according to the custom of the day carried all his valuables in the battle-field, first to have them always in sight, and, secondly, on account of the mysterious power then attributed to precious stones. Charles lost this diamond at the battle of Morat on the 22nd June, 1476. Tradition relates that it was picked up by a peasant who took it for a piece of glass, and sold it for a florin. The new owner, Bartholomew May, a citizen of Berne, sold it to the Genoese, who sold it in turn to Ludovico Moro Sforza. By the intercession of the Fuggers it came into the Medici treasury at Florence. When Francis Stephen of Lorraine exchanged this Duchy against the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, he became the owner of the 'Florentine Diamond.' Through this prince, who became later on the consort of the Empress Maria Theresa, this diamond came into the private treasury of the Imperial House at Vienna. At the coronation of Francis Stephen as Emperor of Germany at Frankfort-on-the-Main, the 4th day of October, 1745, the 'Florentine diamond' adorned the crown of the House of Austria."