JAR

The diamond was formerly in the collection of Countess Eliza Krasinska, née Branicka (1820-1876)

Geneva, 18 November 1998, lot 780 

Subsequently mounted by JAR and previously offered at auction lot 95, New York 16 April 2014.

Countess Eliza Branicka (1820-1876)

The Fancy Intense Yellowish Green diamond mounted at the centre of this ring by JAR originally belonged to Countess Eliza Branicka (1820-1876), an aristocrat of Polish descent, born in 1820 on her family's sprawling Ukrainian estate Belaya Tserkov.

Her paternal grandmother was Alexandra von Engelhardt (1754-1838), the favourite niece of Prince Grigory Potemkin who was one of the most influential men in 18^th century Russia as Catherine the Great’s principal favourite. Therefore, Alexandra was rumoured by some to have been the Empress’ natural daughter. Alexandra von Engelhardt was the principal heiress to Potemkin’s immense fortune, thus her marriage to Franciszek Ksawery Branicki (1730-1819), Grand Hetman of Poland, brought enormous wealth to the Branicki family.

Eliza’s father, Count Wladyslaw Branicki (1783-1843), was the godson of Empress Catherine the Great, while her mother, Countess Roza Potocka was a member of the ancient Polish Potocki dynasty. The couple was blessed with six children. Eliza’s two sisters married a Count Potocki and a Prince Odeschalchi respectively.

Eliza herself was married to Count Zygmunt Krasinski (1812-1859), one of Poland's great Romantic poets. Zygmunt's father was the colonel in chief of the famous regiment of Chevaux-Legers Polonais de la Garde, stationed in Chantilly. The engagement took place in Rome on 20th April 1843, when, apart from this green diamond mounted as an engagement ring, Eliza received from her fiancé's father, two parures "one of stones, the other of diamonds", as she noted in a letter to her sister.

They married in Dresden on 26th July 1843. Their marriage lasted for sixteen years during which time Eliza and her husband had two sons and two daughters. After the poet's death in 1859, Eliza married her husband's cousin Count Ludwik Krasinkski, a great landowner and brilliant entrepreneur who became one of the richest men in Poland.