The Beau Sancy, a 35-carat colorless diamond that has been passed down to European royalty for centuries, was sold at a Sotheby’s auction in Geneva for $9.7 million. After an 8-minute bidding war, the large diamond sold to an anonymous phone bidder who paid nearly five times the pre-sale estimate of $2 million to $4 million. Though the Beau Sancy has been in French, English, and Prussian royal families as well as the House of Orange, it is mostly known for being worn by Marie de Medici in 1610 at her coronation as Queen Consort of Henry IV.

Buyers from across the globe including North America, Europe, and Asia came to Sotheby’s in Geneva to bid on the magnificent jewels. The Sotheby’s Magnificent and Noble Jewels Sale in Geneva, a two-day event showcasing jewelry of several owners, set a record by earning close to $109 million. Other jewels sold at this auction include the Murat Tiara, a diamond and pearl piece created in 1920 by Joseph Chaumet, which brought in $3.8 million. An additional piece was a $4.3 million necklace, which showcased a detachable 41.40-carat pear-shaped D colored diamond. A noteworthy historic jewel is the 7.3 carat fancy yellow diamond, which once belonged to Charles Edward Stuart. It sold for $968,085.

Though the Beau Sancy was not the largest diamond up for auction at the sale, it definitely holds the most history. Having only been in the hands of royalty, the famous stone has found a new home after having been passed down through the House of Prussia for centuries. The gem received bids from five bidders on three different continents and was purchased by one lucky anonymous phone bidder. This is another piece of information to add to this diamond’s rich, royal, and fascinating history.

Historic Beau Sancy Diamond Sold