A diamond of incredible beauty, star of the French Crown Jewels, has been brought back to life in a replica that's currently on show in Nice. The French Blue Diamond, cut in the shape of a pigeon's egg, was Louis XIV's favourite jewel. At the heart of the dazzling diamond was a Sun with seven facets - the Sun being Louis' emblem.

Louis XIV was France's Sun King. He reigned for seventy-two years, personally driving the government of the nation, and building up exquisite art and jewelery collections. The finest piece in his crown jewels was the French Blue Diamond - a massive 67 carat blue gem of exquisite beauty. Brought from India by a French merchant in 1686, the stone was 116 carats uncut, which makes it one of the biggest diamonds ever discovered. It later became part of a piece called "The Golden Fleece", made for Louis XVI.

During the French Revolution the stone was stolen and never heard of again. For years experts have speculated that it might have been recut and made into the Hope Diamond, now in the US, or alternatively that it finished up recut and part of a Russian collection.

And then suddenly in 2007, during a review of the collections of the French Natural History Museum, a strange model of a gemstone, made in lead, was found by a researcher. What was this strange piece, and why was it in the Museum's diamond collections?

Comparing paintings of the original diamond, and studying this model, they realised they were looking at a replica of the French Blue. And from that discovery came the conclusion about what happened to the diamond. Using a detailed study of the diamond's shape and that of the Hope Diamond, the experts were able to prove that the Hope was indeed the remainder of the French Blue Diamond.

Now you can see a replica of this diamond as it appeared in the Golden Fleece - all made from zirconium and glass using computerized modelling techniques. The exhibition is a fascinating voyage into the past: the blue diamond is the symbol of the absolutist monarch, Louis XIV. The Golden Fleece is a key piece in the development of the French art of jewellery: it's sylistic influence was massive on so much that came after. But beyond the historical and artistic context is the beauty of these objects themselves.

In search of the Blue Diamond is an exhibition at the Museum of Natural History.

CONTACT DETAILS

Museum of Natural History
60 Boulevard Risso
06364 Nice Cedex 4

TELEPHONE: 04.97.13.46.80

Open every day from 10.00 am to 6.00 pm except Sunday. Admission is free of charge.

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