Wittelsbach - Graff Blue Diamond
Taken from the diamond mines of India in the 17th century, the 35 carat blue diamond was thought to have been cut from the same rough as the Tavernier blue diamond.
While the Wittelsbach-Graff and Hope diamonds bear a striking resemblance in in natural and UV light, microscopic analysis of crystal structure shows that the two diamonds came from different crystals.
Sometime during the early 1660's the blue diamond became the property of King Philip IV of Spain. In 1664 King Philip gave the diamond to his favorite daughter, Infanta Margarita Teresa to celebrate her engagement to Leopold I of Austria.
Infanta died at the young age of 21. Her jewels passed to Leopold.
In the early 17770's the diamond moved to Bavaria, part of Germany. For 200 years the diamond was the prized possession of the ruling family, Wittelsbach.
The end of World War I brought change. The former royals sold their jewels. That's when the "Wittelsbach Blue" dropped out of sight.
In 2008 the blue diamond reappeared. Laurence Graff, a jeweler, purchased the diamond and re polished it. The "Wittelsbach-Graff" re certified as internally flawless, fancy deep blue (type IIb) and weighed in at 31.06 carats.
