A century after its disappearance, the legendary Florentine diamond – once owned by the last Austrian Emperor Charles I – has resurfaced. The 137-carat yellow gem of immense value (estimated at up to $100 million) was discovered in a bank in Canada.
Vice Chancellor wants to check legal ownership
According to Emperor’s grandson Karl Habsburg, the diamond is said to be part of a family treasure that his grandmother, Empress Zita, kept in exile after fleeing Europe. Only now, a hundred years after her husband’s death, was it allowed to discuss her whereabouts.
The Austrian federal government reacted promptly: Vice Chancellor Andreas Babler (SPÖ) announced that he would check who was legally entitled to the diamond. “If it turns out that the Florentine is the property of the Republic of Austria, I will initiate the retrieval process,” said Babler. His office is already in contact with the Austrian embassy in Canada.
It is unclear whether Schatz will return to Austria
Karl Habsburg counters: The so-called Habsburg Laws of 1919, which transferred the family assets to the Republic, are not valid here.
He wants to keep the rediscovered jewels in a foundation and initially exhibit them in Canada – as a “gesture of gratitude” to the country that once granted his family exile.
A legal examination will clarify whether the legendary treasure belongs to Austria or the Habsburgs – a dispute about history, heritage and a jewel of inestimable value.
