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Blue Wittelsbach

Blauer Wittelsbacher Diamant Blue Wittelsbach Diamond (1)

Blauer Wittelsbacher – his origins are shrouded in mystery

There is no reliable information about the rough diamond from which the blue Wittelsbacher was cut. It is generally assumed that the blue Wittelsbacher originally came from the Indian Golconda mines, but no further details are known about it.

History of the polished Blue Wittelsbach

The diamond first appeared in cut form in Vienna at the beginning of the 17th century, weighing 35.56 carats. It was owned by the Habsburgs and came to Munich in 1722 as a dowry with Maria Amalia, who married Karl Albrecht of Bavaria. When she became Empress, she had the Blue Wittelsbacher incorporated into her crown. In the inventory of the House of Wittelsbach, the diamond was recorded as a blue brilliant.

After the death of Maria Amalia, the Bavarian Elector Maximilian III Joseph ensured that the Blue Wittelsbach was incorporated into a badge of the Order of the Golden Fleece.

The fascinating gemstone was given a new function again in 1806, when it was used as the central jewel in the crown of Max Joseph, the first Bavarian king.

Blauer Wittelsbacher: its sale from Bavarian state ownership

Due to financial difficulties, the House of Wittelsbach decided in 1931 to put the Blue Wittelsbach up for auction at Christie's auction house. However, this attempt was initially unsuccessful - it would take until 1951 before a buyer was found.

In 1958, the Blue Wittelsbach was open to the public at the World Exhibition in Brussels. However, there was no mention of its history as the property of the Bavarian kings.

In the 1960s, Josep Kornkommer bought the Blue Wittelsbacher after refusing to recut it on behalf of its owners, the Goldmuntz family. He cited the historical value of the gemstone as an argument. He later sold it on to Helmut Horten.

The auction of the Blue Wittelsbach diamond and its new cut

In December 2008, it was auctioned again at Christie's, where it achieved a remarkable sales price of 18.4 million euros. The new owner, Laurence Graff, was subsequently heavily criticized for having the gemstone of great historical importance recut and renamed it The Wittelsbach-Graff Diamond. This treatment, which resulted in a weight loss of four carats , improved its brilliance and sparkle, but it also caused the Blue Wittelsbach diamond to lose its characteristic appearance.

(1) Image source: Wikipedia, Author: Physolamuse

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