For more than a century, the Florentine Diamond occupied a curious place in the history of famous gemstones. It was discussed in museum catalogues, historical accounts and works of fiction, yet nobody could say with certainty where it had gone. Some believed it had been stolen during the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Others suspected it had been cut into smaller stones to conceal its identity. The uncertainty became part of the diamond's reputation. Its disappearance inspired decades of speculation among historians, gem experts and collectors, with numerous theories emerging but none supported by conclusive evidence. Now, descendants of the Hapsburg dynasty have offered a very different account, saying the celebrated jewel never vanished at all. Instead, they claim it spent decades quietly locked away in Canada, far from the attention that surrounded one of Europe's most recognisable treasures.
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