Grand Condé diamond to return to exhibition at Château de Chantilly

The legendary Grand Condé pink diamond is set to return to public view at the Château de Chantilly near Paris for a commemorative exhibition running from October 17 to January 3. This marks its return after nearly a century of absence from public display.

The diamond’s history includes a remarkable discovery in 1926. After being stolen from the Château de Chantilly by thieves, the gem was accidentally discovered by Suzanne Schiltz, a hotel chambermaid in Paris. While biting into an apple taken from a guest's suitcase, she struck the hard, bean-sized pink stone hidden inside the fruit.

Following the theft, the diamond's immense fame and value prevented thieves from successfully selling it on the black market, as no jeweler or pawnbroker would touch such a notorious item. The diamond, which likely has Indian origins, was historically transferred to France as a reward for the Duke of Condé’s services during the Thirty Years' War. To protect the gem from future theft or forgery, museum officials have created a digital identity for the stone using chemical composition and density analysis.