gems, diamond, famous diamonds, India, Nur al-‘Ayn, pink diamond, Iran Crown Jewels, Persia

In 1888, reports in the British press claimed that the maharaja of Patiala possessed immense wealth in jewels, including “a fabulously costly diamond necklace, in which figures the famous Sancy diamond purchased from the Empress Eugenie” (Sheffield Evening Telegraph, 20 December 1888, p. 2). This assertion of the Patiala maharajas’ ownership of the Sancy diamond was frequently repeated thereafter. However, the question remains: was this truly the historic Sancy diamond?