The world’s second-largest gem-quality rough diamond has finally found a buyer. Nearly two years after its spectacular recovery from Botswana’s famed Karowe Mine, the 2,488-carat Motswedi diamond has been sold by Lucara Diamond Corp. — although the identity of the buyer and the price paid remain a mystery.



Lucara disclosed the sale in its second-quarter financial results released August 7. The company did not reveal either the purchaser or the final price, saying only that Motswedi was included in its $41 million in total revenue for the quarter.

The lengthy wait is hardly surprising. Diamonds of Motswedi’s extraordinary size and rarity are so unusual that finding a buyer — and agreeing on a value — can take years. The potential price tag is enormous, while the pool of buyers capable of acquiring such a historic stone is exceptionally small.

A telling precedent is the 1,109-carat Lesedi La Rona, also recovered by Lucara at Karowe. Discovered in November 2015, the diamond was offered at auction by Sotheby’s in 2016, but bidding stalled at $61 million against a $70 million reserve. British luxury jeweler Graff Diamonds eventually purchased the stone in September 2017 for $53 million.

By November 2018, Graff had revealed what became of its remarkable acquisition: The Lesedi La Rona had been transformed into 67 polished diamonds, ranging from just under 1 carat to more than 100 carats.

Motswedi could follow a similar path — but for now, its future is anyone’s guess.

Recovered in August 2024, the massive stone was initially reported at 2,492 carats before cleaning reduced its official weight to 2,488.32 carats. The Gemological Institute of America subsequently confirmed it as the second-largest gem-quality rough diamond ever discovered, behind only the legendary 3,106-carat Cullinan, unearthed in South Africa in 1905.

Motswedi is also a remarkable specimen in its own right. The transparent, light-brown diamond is a gem-quality Type IIa crystal, with several large gem-quality areas and relatively few inclusions. It measures about four inches in width and weighs just over a pound.

Its name carries special significance. Selected through a national diamond-naming competition that attracted more than 39,000 entries from Botswana citizens, Motswedi is a Setswana word referring to underground water that emerges at the surface — essentially a spring or source of water. It is an evocative name for a treasure that emerged from deep within Botswana’s earth.

For now, Motswedi’s future remains shrouded in mystery — and its next chapter is anyone’s guess.

Credit: Photo courtesy of CNW Group/Lucara Diamond Corp.

Supermodel Alessandra Ambrosio has a new title to add to her impressive résumé: bride-to-be. The Brazilian beauty announced her engagement to Australian jewelry designer Buck Palmer late last week, sharing a series of romantic images from a tropical proposal at luxury resort NIHI Sumba in Indonesia. And, naturally, the ring deserves a closer look.



The centerpiece is a spectacular elongated cushion-cut diamond, estimated by jewelry experts at roughly 5 to 7 carats, although some estimates have put the stone as high as 8 carats. The diamond is set in a sleek yellow-gold bezel setting that gives the substantial center stone a clean, streamlined look while also providing a protective rim of gold around the diamond.

Valuations ranged widely from $200,000 upwards to a half-million dollars or more depending on the actual carat weight, color, clarity and cut.



The proposal itself was every bit as romantic. Palmer, 44, popped the question on a beach at the luxurious NIHI Sumba resort, with a giant heart outlined in red flowers forming the backdrop. Photographs and drone footage captured the barefoot couple celebrating in the sand, while matching heart-shaped wrist tattoos added another personal touch.



There was just one catch: The engagement wasn't exactly new news. Although Ambrosio, 45, announced it on Instagram late last week, the couple revealed that Palmer actually proposed four months earlier, in April. Ambrosio's Instagram announcement, shared with her 11.7 million followers, included the heartfelt message, “I'd choose you in this life and every life. Here's to forever, my love.”

Ambrosio and Palmer have been together for nearly two years and went Instagram official in December 2024. They have since chronicled their travels and adventures on their joint Instagram account, @ourdream1111. Ambrosio has two children, Anja and Noah, with former fiancé Jamie Mazur, while Palmer was previously married to Australian model Ashley Hart.

Ambrosio, who was born in Erechim, Brazil, became one of the world's most recognizable models through her long association with Victoria's Secret. She walked in 17 consecutive Victoria's Secret Fashion Shows from 2000 through 2017. She has also appeared in campaigns for major fashion houses and built her own fashion and lifestyle businesses.

Palmer brings an appropriately jewelry-centric résumé to the relationship. The Australian former model transitioned into jewelry design, developing a distinctive aesthetic centered on handcrafted men's jewelry and accessories, often incorporating chunky metals and a free-spirited, rock-and-roll sensibility.

Credits: Photos via Instagram / alessandraambrosio.

Welcome to Music Friday, when we bring you songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, country superstar Tim McGraw revisits the painful end of a relationship in his 2015 hit “Diamond Rings and Old Barstools,” using a brilliant diamond ring and a battered barstool to represent two people who simply don't belong together.



The jewelry reference is central to the song's emotional punch. McGraw compares his former lover to a diamond ring, while casting himself as an old barstool. The diamond represents something precious, elegant and enduring — “for queens,” a symbol of the future and something meant to last forever. The barstool, by contrast, is associated with the past, regret and the lonely places where a heartbroken man might drown his sorrows.

It is an unusually effective country-music metaphor because the two objects could hardly be more different. One suggests commitment, permanence and a bright future; the other suggests wear, familiarity and a life rooted in yesterday. Ultimately, McGraw acknowledges that some things simply don't mix — including the two people at the center of the story.

Written by Jonathan Singleton, Barry Dean and Luke Laird, the song was released in January 2015 as the fourth and final single from McGraw's chart-topping Sundown Heaven Town. The mid-tempo ballad reached #11 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart and #10 on the Canadian country chart, and earned a Grammy nomination for Best Country Song.

McGraw's own journey — both professionally and personally — was considerably more successful than the one portrayed in the song. Born in Delhi, LA, in 1967, McGraw learned to play the guitar while attending Northeast Louisiana University on a baseball scholarship. He left college in 1989, moved to Nashville with a guitar and demo tapes, and spent about two years performing in local clubs before signing with Curb Records in 1990. His recording career took off in the early 1990s, and he has since become one of country music's biggest stars.

McGraw has sold more than 80 million records worldwide and has amassed an extraordinary catalog of hits, including “Don't Take the Girl,” “I Like It, I Love It,” “It's Your Love,” “Live Like You Were Dying” and “Humble and Kind.”

And he's still going strong. McGraw is currently on his 2026 Pawn Shop Guitar Tour, a more than 30-date North American run that continues through September. In October, he'll take the stage at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace for his Live in Las Vegas residency. He's also still married to country star Faith Hill, and they will be celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary in October.

Please check out the video of McGraw performing "Diamond Rings and Old Barstools" at iHeart Live in 2015. The lyrics are below if you'd like to sing along...

“Diamond Rings and Old Barstools”
Written by Jonathan Singleton, Barry Dean and Luke Laird. Performed by Tim McGraw.

Diamond rings and old barstools
One’s for queens and one’s for fools
One’s the future and one’s the past
One’s forever and one won’t last

It ain’t like midnight and cigarette smoke
It ain’t like watered down whiskey and Coke
I guess some things just don’t mix like you hoped
Like me and you
Diamond rings and old barstools

The wrongs and rights, the highs and lows
The “I love you’s,” the “I told you so’s”
Past few miles to wherever’s home
Another morning waking up alone

It ain’t like midnight and cigarette smoke
It ain’t like watered down whiskey and Coke
I guess some things just don’t mix like you hoped
Like me and you
Diamond rings and old barstools

It ain’t like midnight and cigarette smoke
Nothing like watered down whiskey and Coke
I guess some things just don’t mix like you hoped
Like me and you
Diamond rings and old barstools



Credit: Photo by 1035 WEZL, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Losing an engagement ring on the beach is the kind of nightmare that can turn a sunny day into a disaster. But for one young couple, the situation went from heartbreaking to heartwarming in less than a minute — thanks to a stranger with a metal detector and absolutely no interest in a reward.



The couple, whose beach location has not been identified, had been enjoying the day when the bride-to-be removed her platinum-and-diamond engagement ring to apply sunscreen.

“Like an idiot,” she joked in a video shared on X.

The ring disappeared into the sand, and despite searching on their own, the couple couldn't find it.

Then they spotted a metal detectorist nearby.

“I’ve got a big reward for you if you can help me find a ring,” the groom-to-be told him.

“Let’s go. I’ll find it,” the detectorist replied.

When the groom explained that the missing ring was platinum with a diamond, the detectorist had another message: “I don’t take any money, by the way, so don’t even try to give me money.”

The couple pointed out approximately where they had been sitting — apparently near the spot where they had been enjoying boiled peanuts — and the detectorist began sweeping the sand. Almost immediately, his machine produced a promising signal.

“I believe it’s gonna be right here, guys,” he said.

A few scoops of sand later, he pulled up the ring.

“That’s a nice doggone ring. Heavy too,” he observed.

The relief was immediate. “Oh, my God. I don’t even know you. I’ve been crying for hours,” the bride-to-be said before embracing her unlikely rescuer.

The timing made the recovery even more meaningful: The couple said they were getting married in just two weeks.

“You don’t know what you just did for us,” the woman told him.

The heartwarming encounter was shared on X by Massimo, who posts under the handle @Rainmaker1973. The exact location was not disclosed, although the bride-to-be’s mention of eating boiled peanuts on the beach has prompted some speculation that the scene may have taken place somewhere in the Southeast, perhaps South Carolina’s Lowcountry. Boiled peanuts are particularly beloved in the Carolinas, Georgia and Florida, with South Carolina officially recognizing the treat as its state snack.

Whatever the location, the second treasure in this story is the stranger’s kindness. He didn't hesitate to help, found the ring almost immediately and, despite the promise of a “big reward,” apparently wanted nothing in return.

Credit: Conceptual image by The Jeweler Blog using aichatapp.ai.

To a young Oprah Winfrey, a pair of diamond earrings that caught her eye during a free concert represented much more than a fashion accessory. They became a goal — and a sparkling reminder of what success could look like. In a new interview for Glamour’s “Girlhood Firsts” video series, Winfrey recalled the moment Diana Ross, performing in a torrential downpour at her 1983 Central Park concert, inspired her to one day rock her own pair of 10-carat-total-weight diamond studs.



Winfrey was just 29 when she and 400,000 other fans watched Ross command the stage during her legendary free concert on Central Park’s Great Lawn. Rain poured down, but Ross kept performing for another 25 minutes until dangerous weather forced the concert to end.

“All you could see was diamond earrings glittering, and her mascara did not run,” Winfrey recalled.

The image made such an impression that Winfrey called Ross’ production company the following day. She wanted to know two things.

“I asked them what was the mascara and how many carats of diamonds [Ross’s earrings weighed], and they told me 10 carats, so I strived until I could get my first 10 carats,” Winfrey said.

(The mascara, by the way, was from Lancôme.)

Winfrey eventually bought her own 10-carat diamond studs, transforming the earrings into a personal milestone and symbol of achievement. But there was a hilarious twist. Years later, Ross told her that the earrings she had worn during the rainstorm actually totaled only 5 carats.

“I could’ve quit halfway through,” Winfrey joked.

The story offers a wonderful glimpse into how jewelry can represent aspiration as much as adornment. To Winfrey, those diamonds represented the level of accomplishment she wanted to achieve — and she pursued that goal with the same determination that eventually made her one of the world's most influential media figures.

Ross, meanwhile, was already a superstar when she performed in Central Park. After achieving legendary status as lead singer of The Supremes, she launched a hugely successful solo career that expanded into film and television. Her career now spans more than six decades, and she is among the best-selling recording artists in history, with more than 100 million records sold worldwide.

Winfrey’s own trajectory is equally remarkable. In 2007, Forbes ranked her the world’s most influential celebrity, while in 2026 she earned the #1 spot on Forbes’s list of the 250 Greatest Self-Made Americans. The publication estimates Winfrey's fortune at about $3.4 billion.

Credits: Oprah Winfrey photo (cropped) by vargas2040, Cropped by OsamaK, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Diana Ross photo (cropped) by Crisco 1492, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Two irreplaceable family heirlooms recently took an unexpected trip through New York City’s sanitation system after a Brooklyn resident accidentally threw the diamond rings in the trash. Fortunately, the resident realized the mistake almost immediately and contacted the New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY), setting off a remarkable rescue mission that ended with both rings being recovered from a staggering 20,000 pounds of garbage.



The timing of that frantic call was critical. Because the sanitation department was notified before the truck's load could be mixed with refuse from other collection trucks, officials were able to identify and divert the truck to a waste management facility on Varick Street. There, the entire load was dumped onto a concrete tipping floor so the resident could search for the missing treasures.

And incredibly, the rings were found in just 10 minutes.



The recovered pieces included a four-generation platinum-and-diamond engagement ring and a gold-and-diamond promise ring. For the owner, their sentimental value undoubtedly far exceeded their intrinsic value — making the successful recovery all the more remarkable.

The DSNY explained to The New York Post that the quick response made this particular search possible. When residents report an accidentally tossed treasure quickly enough, the department can isolate the collection truck and arrange a search of its load. But once garbage has reached a transfer station, the outcome is very different: the refuse is rapidly mixed with material from other trucks and loaded onto a barge or rail car. At that point, finding a small piece of jewelry would be virtually impossible.

The extraordinary recovery was celebrated by the DSNY on social media, where the department joked, “It isn't exactly a needle in a haystack, but some accidentally discarded rings were dug up!”

The story also earned national attention when NBC's Today covered the unusual rescue and gave a warm shout-out to New York City's sanitation workers for helping bring two cherished family treasures home.

For these precious rings, the journey from jewelry box to garbage truck and back again was anything but ordinary. But their survival offers one valuable lesson for jewelry owners everywhere: if a treasured piece accidentally goes into the trash, don't wait — start the rescue immediately.

Credits: Images via Instagram / nycsanitation.

August's birthstone is famous for its vibrant green color, but perhaps its most fascinating feature is the crazy backstory associated with its name. Believe it or not, for nearly 2,000 years, the gemstone we now know as peridot answered to the name topaz. Then, in one of gemology's most curious twists, that familiar name was reassigned to a completely different gemstone family, leaving the original "topaz" in search of a new identity.



The story of how August's birthstone became known as peridot is filled with unexpected turns, unanswered questions and more than a little linguistic intrigue.

Ancient Egyptians mined the vibrant yellowish-green gem on a small Red Sea island known to the Greeks and Romans as Topazios, just off the coast of Egypt. To honor its place of origin, they named the gemstone topazion, a name that was eventually shortened to simply topaz.

Here's where the story takes a curious turn.

Sometime during the 18th century, mineralogists reassigned the name "topaz" to an entirely different gemstone family — the one we recognize today in shades of blue, golden yellow, pink and other colors. The original "topaz" suddenly needed a new identity, and the ancient green gem became known as peridot. Why the name "topaz" was transferred remains something of a mystery, making this one of gemology's more intriguing cases of mistaken identity.

Ironically, the island that gave topaz its name never produced a single topaz crystal.

Even the word peridot has an uncertain origin. Some scholars believe it derives from the Arabic "faridat," meaning "gem," while others trace it to the Old French "peritot." Still other theories point to Greek or Latin roots. More than two centuries after the name change, experts still can't agree on its true linguistic ancestry.

The accompanying image showcases perhaps the most famous peridot in existence — a spectacular 311.80-carat faceted gem from Zabargad, the modern Arabic name for ancient Topazios. According to the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History and gemologist Jeffrey Edward Post in his book Unearthed: Surprising Stories Behind the Jewels, it is believed to be the largest faceted peridot in the world. Donated to the Smithsonian in 1926 as part of the famed Roebling Collection, the extraordinary gemstone is said to have adorned the image of a saint in an Austrian church for several centuries before entering the museum's collection.

Peridot's story is every bit as remarkable as its name. The gem is the transparent variety of the mineral forsterite, a magnesium-iron silicate whose signature green color comes from iron atoms replacing some of the magnesium in its crystal structure. Too little iron produces pale stones; too much creates undesirable brownish tones. The most prized peridots display a rich, saturated green with only slight hints of yellow and no brown.

Unlike most gemstones, peridot forms deep within the Earth's mantle, roughly 20 to 55 miles below the surface. Scientists have even identified peridot in meteorites and on Mars, making August's birthstone not only ancient, but truly out of this world.

Credit: Photo by Chip Clark and digitally enhanced by SquareMoose / Smithsonian.

Welcome to Music Friday, when we spotlight songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, Sabrina Carpenter compares herself to one of nature's most enduring treasures in "Diamonds Are Forever," a 2018 song that uses the coveted gemstone as a powerful metaphor for self-worth, resilience and emotional independence.



Throughout the song, Carpenter rejects the idea that money or material possessions can define a relationship. She makes it clear she's nobody's "piggy bank" or "sugar mama," insisting that genuine love and respect can't be purchased. Instead, she repeatedly identifies herself with the song's title, declaring, "I am a diamond, and diamonds are forever."

The comparison works on multiple levels. Diamonds symbolize rarity, strength and enduring beauty — qualities Carpenter uses to represent her own character. Just as a diamond withstands extraordinary pressure, she refuses to let anyone diminish her confidence or independence. Her message is simple: know your worth and never settle for less.

One of the song's most telling moments comes near the end, when Carpenter sings, "I guess you want me to give up these diamonds to you." She's recognizing that her partner expects her to compromise the very qualities that make her valuable. By refusing, she reinforces the song's central theme — that some things are simply too precious to surrender.

The title itself cleverly borrows from one of advertising's most recognizable phrases. "A Diamond Is Forever," introduced by De Beers in 1947, helped establish diamonds as enduring symbols of lasting love. Carpenter reimagines that famous slogan, shifting the focus from romantic commitment to personal empowerment.

"Diamonds Are Forever" appears as the closing track on Carpenter's third studio album, Singular: Act I, released on November 9, 2018. The song was co-written by Carpenter, Ross Golan, Johan Carlsson and Dallas Davidson.

Born in Quakertown, PA, and raised nearby in East Greenville, Carpenter began posting singing videos on YouTube as a preteen. She placed third in an online singing contest hosted by Miley Cyrus before landing acting roles, including her breakout performance as Maya Hart on Disney Channel's Girl Meets World. She signed with Hollywood Records at just 14 years old, launching a music career that has since reached remarkable heights.

Today, Carpenter ranks among pop music's biggest stars. She earned two Grammy Awards in 2025, including Best Pop Vocal Album for Short n' Sweet and Best Pop Solo Performance for "Espresso." She has also topped the Billboard charts with blockbuster albums and hit singles, while headlining major festivals around the world.

Please check out the audio track of Sabrina Carpenter performing "Diamonds Are Forever." The lyrics are below if you'd like to sing along...

"Diamonds Are Forever"
Written by Sabrina Carpenter, Ross Golan, Johan Carlsson and Dallas Davidson. Performed by Sabrina Carpenter.

Think you got your break?
I'm no sugar mama, I'm no piggy bank
Tell me what you think, nah, nah, nah
Stackin' bills and counting change
I'm no Rockefeller, I'm not what you think
No way, nah, nah, nah

I'm your new money
Drop it all on your crew, spent too soon money
One percent, I'm at the top of this earth money
That's what I'm worth, honey
That's what I'm worth, worth, worth

I am a diamond
And diamonds are forever
My love is timeless
'Cause diamonds are forever (Oh no, no)
Money don't buy class
And I can't be bought like that, like that
I am a diamond
And diamonds are forever

Steal my heart and steal my kiss
But you can't shake my balances
There's no can do, nah, nah, nah
No can do, nah, nah, nah
And I'll take you out (Oh yeah) and I'll take you in
This love is my weakness, nah, nah

I'm your new money (New money)
Drop it all on your crew, spent too soon money
One percent, I'm at the top of this earth money
That's what I'm worth, honey
That's what I'm worth, worth, worth

I am a diamond (Diamond, babe)
And diamonds are forever (Oh, they're forever, ever)
My love is timeless
'Cause diamonds are forever
Money don't buy class (Don't buy class, nah, nah)
And I can't be bought like that, like that
I am a diamond
And diamonds are forever
Oh, nah, nah, nah, babe

(Diamonds, diamonds)
(Diamonds, diamonds)
Diamonds are forever, baby
(Diamonds, diamonds)
What you gonna do for me, darlin'?
(Diamonds, diamonds)

I guess you want me to
Give up these diamonds to you

I am a diamond
And diamonds are forever
My love is timeless (Oh, it's so timeless, baby)
'Cause diamonds are forever (No, they're forever, no, you know)
Money don't buy class
And I can't be bought like that, like that
I am a diamond
And diamonds are forever

(Diamonds, diamonds)
Diamonds, baby, diamonds, no, no
(Diamonds, diamonds)
Know your love, these diamonds are yours
(Diamonds, diamonds)
(Diamonds, diamonds)

I guess you want me to
Give up these diamonds to you



Credit: Photo by Raph_PH, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Imagine holding a standard one-ounce gold bar in the palm of your hand. Now picture that same precious metal scaled up to more than half a ton. That's exactly what Australia's Perth Mint accomplished last month, when it earned a Guinness World Records title for casting the world's largest gold bar — a gleaming masterpiece weighing an astonishing 521.2 kilograms (1,149 pounds).



Refined to an extraordinary 99.999% purity, often called "five nines," the massive bar measures approximately 90 centimeters (35.4 inches) long and 20 centimeters (7.8 inches) high and wide. Valued at more than AU$100 million (about US$70 million), it surpasses the previous Guinness record — a 300-kilogram gold bar cast in Dubai — by more than 220 kilograms.

While the finished product is breathtaking, The Perth Mint emphasized that the achievement represents far more than a record-breaking chunk of precious metal. More than 35 specialists from its refinery and assay laboratory collaborated on the ambitious project, bringing together expertise in metallurgy, engineering, refining and quality assurance. Additional teams oversaw safety, logistics, security and project management.

The record-setting bar also celebrates Australia's thriving gold industry. Gold supplied by nine Australian mining companies — AngloGold Ashanti Australia, BHP, Evolution Mining, Gold Fields, Greatland, Newmont Australia, Northern Star, Norton Gold Fields and Pantoro — was combined to create the finished piece.

Producing the giant bar required far more than simply melting gold and pouring it into a mold. During the months-long project, approximately 1.5 tonnes of raw material were refined into a series of large gold bars. For the final casting, six of those bars, along with several smaller ones, were carefully loaded into a specially designed graphite mold.

The mold was then placed inside The Perth Mint's advanced Flameless Casting Chamber, where the gold was heated to approximately 1,400 degrees Celsius (2,552 degrees Fahrenheit). The enclosed system eliminated the need for an open flame, improving safety while maintaining exceptional precision. After many hours of carefully controlled cooling, the enormous bar emerged. When it was placed on calibrated scales, the official weight — 521.2 kilograms — confirmed a new world record.

Equally impressive is the bar's purity. While 99.99% gold is considered the industry standard for investment-grade bullion, achieving 99.999% purity in a casting of this size represents an extraordinary technical accomplishment.

Visitors won't have to imagine the record-breaking bar for long. Beginning in late September, the gleaming giant — crafted entirely from Australian Origin Gold™ — will go on public display as part of The Perth Mint's popular Gold Tour, giving visitors a rare opportunity to stand face-to-face with one of the most remarkable feats in modern precious-metals refining.

Credit: Image (cropped) courtesy of The Perth Mint.

A legendary pink diamond that captivated French aristocracy for centuries will return to public view this fall as the centerpiece of a special exhibition marking the 100th anniversary of its sensational theft — and improbable recovery from inside an apple.



From October 17, 2026, through January 3, 2027, the Musée Condé at the Château de Chantilly will showcase the 9.01-carat Grand Condé Pink Diamond in an exhibition that celebrates the gem's remarkable journey while unveiling the results of the first comprehensive gemological and historical study ever conducted on a French diamond of its caliber.

Some of history's greatest jewels are remembered not only for their beauty, but also for the remarkable stories they carry. And few gems fit that description better than the Grand Condé Pink Diamond.

Its most colorful chapter unfolded in October 1926, when two amateur thieves stole the irregular, flat pear-shaped diamond from the museum. Hoping to conceal their prize while hiding in a modest Paris hotel, the pair hollowed out an apple and tucked the priceless gem inside. The plan was to conceal the gem from potential searches or police patrols while they planned their next move.

But the plan blew up when a hotel chambermaid named Suzanne Schiltz was cleaning the room and decided to eat the apple left behind, biting into the fruit and discovering something unexpectedly hard — the missing pink diamond.

The Grand Condé has been associated with French royalty and aristocracy for centuries. Believed to have originated in India's legendary Golconda diamond mines, the gem entered the French royal orbit in the 17th century before becoming one of the crown jewels of the powerful Princes of Condé. It later passed through the collections of Queen Marie-Amélie before ultimately becoming part of the Musée Condé's permanent holdings.

A century after the famous heist, visitors will have an opportunity not only to admire the celebrated gemstone but to also dive much deeper. The interdisciplinary research project combines gemological analysis with historical scholarship, offering fresh insights into the Grand Condé's origin, composition and remarkable path through history.

Among the most fascinating discoveries is an explanation for the diamond's delicate pink color. Unlike yellow diamonds, whose color is created by nitrogen impurities, or blue diamonds, which owe their hue to traces of boron, the Grand Condé's soft pink appearance results from intense geological pressure that subtly distorted its crystal lattice deep within the Earth. Those microscopic structural changes alter the way the diamond absorbs and reflects light, producing its exceptionally rare color without relying on chemical impurities.

The exhibition will also feature previously unpublished archival documents, historical photographs, newspaper accounts, police investigation records and interpretive displays.

The exhibition is being organized in partnership with L'ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts, with the support of Van Cleef & Arpels.

Credit: Image of the Pink Diamond © L’ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts, Benjamin Chelly.