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The Archduke Joseph
This 76.45-carat diamond gets its name from Archduke
Joseph August (1872-1962), a previous owner of the gem
and a prince of the Hungarian line of the Hapsburg
dynasty. The Archduke was a descendant of the Emperor
Leopold II, son of Empress Maria Theresa who owned the
famous
Florentine Diamond, one of the most notable and
unique diamonds in history and an heirloom of the
Hapsburgs for many years. But whereas the Florentine was
unusually large for an Indian diamond and light yellow
in color, the Archduke Joseph is a colorless diamond; it
possesses the most notable characteristic of the best
Golconda diamonds, namely a high internal clarity. Thus
it has obtained D-color certification. It is cut in a
rectangular cushion shape, perhaps a style of cutting
that is not entirely unfitting with its Indian origin.
During the so-called "Traitor Republic," due to his
great popularity, Archduke Joseph was put under
surveillance while remaining at Alcsut. In August of
1919 he succeeded in becoming the Regent of Hungary
but was compelled to resign within two months
because the Allied Forces would not allow a Hapsburg
to hold a commanding position in Hungary. In late
1944 he emigrated to the United States and returned
to Europe to live with his sister, Princess Margaret
von Thurn und Taxis, and published several memoirs
and historical studies. He died in 1962, not
completely removed from politics, having become a
member of the Upper House soon after its
restoration.
It is thought that at some point he gave the diamond
to his son, Joseph Francis (1895-1957). Minutes
taken on June 1st, 1933 record that the diamond, at
the time belonging to Archduke Joseph, was at the
time deposited with the Hungarian General Credit
Bank in the presence of a state counselor. Three
years later the diamond was sold to a European
banker who kept it in a safe deposit box in France
during World War II, where it fortunately escaped
the attention of the Nazis.
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World's Famous Diamonds - The Archduke
