Crowning Wisdom: Bavarian Diamond

The Crown of Bavaria is another impressive, albeit redundant, piece of historic Germanic regalia.

When Maximilian IV became the first King of Bavaria in 1806, he commissioned a royal crown that prominently displayed the famous Wittelsbach Diamond. It remained there until 1918, when the Bavarian monarchy was terminated. The Wittelsbachs successfully sold it in 1951, and it was owned by British billionaire jeweller Laurence Graff in 2008, who in turn sold it on to Hamad bin Khalifa, an emir of Qatar. Graff controversially cut the famous diamond when it came into his possession, to enhance the colour and to rectify some historical damage, which resulted in a loss of nearly four and a half carats. There was some outrage in Germany, with claims that Graff might as well have improved an Old Master by painting over it. Graff dismissed the criticisms. And well might he; it was his diamond.

The Good Lord similarly cuts, prunes, melts, recasts, remakes and repeatedly humbles His people. By the time He is done with us, we might have lost a bit here and another bit there, but we are likely to sparkle the brighter and reflect His brilliance the stronger, when before His throne we gather. And sooner, too.