Rare Pink Diamond Stolen In 1926 Set To Return To Public Display In France
A rare pink diamond stolen nearly a century ago is set to return to public display in France, bringing renewed attention to a remarkable theft involving a hollowed-out apple. The nine-carat, pear-shaped gemstone, known as the Grand Condé, was taken from the Château de Chantilly during a nighttime raid in October 1926. The thieves reportedly hid it inside an apple, but their plan unravelled when a hungry hotel maid bit into the fruit and discovered the jewel. The diamond was recovered weeks after the theft and has remained part of the historic collection at the Condé Museum. It will be exhibited at the museum, housed within the Château de Chantilly north of Paris, until January 3. Museum director, Mathieu Deldicque said contemporary newspaper reports documented the unusual circumstances surrounding the theft, despite implausible the story might sound today. The exhibition will also feature previously unseen archival material about the diamond’s history and theft, alongside fi...