The French Crown Jewels & The Louvre Collection: The 140-Carat Regent Diamond & Royal Lapidary Art
Chronicles of France's royal treasury: the legendary Regent Diamond, the Grand Mazarin, Empress Eugénie's Diadem, and the 1887 state auction.
The French Crown Jewels represent one of the most magnificent assemblages of historic gemstones and royal goldsmithing ever created, surviving the French Revolution, the First Empire, and the Third Republic.
1. Masterpieces of the Galerie d'Apollon
| Royal Gemstone / Object | Weight / Carat | Historical Royal Owner | Gemological Characteristics |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Regent Diamond | 140.64 carats | Louis XV, Louis XVI, Napoleon I | Cushion brilliant cut; D-color, exceptional clarity; Golconda origin |
| The Sancy Diamond | 55.23 carats | Henry IV, King James I, Cardinal Mazarin | Pale yellow shield-shaped double rose cut with 32 facets |
| Empress Eugénie's Pearl Diadem | 212 Oriental pearls, 1,998 diamonds | Empress Eugénie (Gabriel Lemonnier, 1853) | Natural baroque drop pearls set in openwork platinum and silver-topped gold |
| The Grand Mazarin | 19.07 carats | Louis XIV, Queen Marie Antoinette | Light pink cushion cut from the Kollur Mine in Golconda |
The 1887 Third Republic State Auction
In May 1887, the French National Assembly auctioned off the bulk of the Crown Jewels at the Pavillon de Flore to prevent monarchist restorations. Premier jewelers like Tiffany & Co., Boucheron, and Van Cleef acquired historic royal parures, dispersing French royal diamonds into American private collections.
Royal Adornments & Historical Gemology Curatorial Board
Our curatorial panel researches historical royal provenance, antique lapidary cuts, precious metal hallmarking archives, and scientific gemological origins.
Researching Antique Jewelry Provenance?
Consult our historical hallmark archives, period maker records, and gemological monograph collection.