Ruspoli Sapphire
The Ruspoli Sapphire, also known as the Wooden Spoonseller's Sapphire and the Great Sapphire of Louis XIV, is a 135.8 carat (27.16 g) blue sapphire nearly without flaw. It possesses only six facets and is known for its distinctive lozenge shape.
The legend of the sapphire's origins begins with its discovery by a wooden spoon-seller in Bengal. It then came into the hands of Italian Prince Francesco Maria Ruspoli in the 17th century. By 1691, King Louis XIV possessed the gemstone and placed it in the French Crown Jewels. It was confiscated by the revolutionary government during the French Revolution. Today the sapphire resides in the Paris Museum of Natural History.
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