Tanzanite's Castle Full of Books

The story of a 17th century French adventurer isn’t something that I would normally read, but when the book concerns one of the most beautiful and famous diamonds in the world, well, how can a girl resist? Several years ago during a trip to DC I told the mister that we had to make sure to see the gem exhibit at the Smithsonian. The mister was less than impressed, but my eyes (and those of my pre-teen aged daughter) glazed over with envy. At the center of it all was the Hope Diamond. I had never seen anything like it before and its size alone had me almost convinced that it must be fake.


The French Blue tells the story of Jean-Baptiste Tavernier, the man who gave the world the original blue diamond that would be known as The French Blue and later as the Hope. It is a fascinating tale of strange and exotic lands where those who rule keep a tight reign over their country’s most valuable treasures and compete for the privilege of owning the biggest and rarest of jewels. Bribery, deception, subtlety and diplomacy are all part of the game and Jean-Baptiste becomes a master at it earning him the respect of not only his countrymen but of gem dealers and collectors everywhere

A gemologist by trade, Richard Wise weaves his knowledge into a story based on Jean-Baptiste’s memoirs written after his last voyage in the 1760s. From diving for pearls to the mining of turquoise, rubies and diamonds, the work was back breaking and the rewards often seemingly small for those who actually did the work. In between his six voyages to Persia and India, the adventurer returns home to France and we are given some insight into the political and domestic situation. The diamond that would be Tavernier’s legacy is not actually the focus of the book; rather it is on the journey that brought him to it.

Most of the book is very interesting and entertaining and I particularly liked the many illustrations that are scattered throughout, several of which were drawn by Jean-Baptiste during his travels. The one notable exception is when Jean-Baptiste is called into service by Cardinal Richelieu as a spy of sorts for a political assassination. In the “Afterword”, the author indicates that the involvement of Tavernier was fictional; as such, I could have done without it. As an editing note, there were several instances of missing quotation marks during a section of dialogue which sometimes made the conversation confusing.

What makes a brave man:  “Some say that a truly brave man does not know fear. I believed that then, but now I know that it is untrue. Only fools are immune to fear. It is how a man handles the fear that is important.” Jean-Baptiste on deciding against a military career.

Women verses jewels:  “A pearl is more beautiful than the most beautiful woman…because a pearl cannot speak!”. A pearl dealer to Jean-Baptiste.

Tell it like it is, sister:  “I am a woman and because of that I am allowed to have no dreams other than those that men think proper. Excuse me but spending my days in a squalid shack surrounded by bawling babes with shitty bottoms is not my idea of paradise!”  Madeline to Jean-Baptiste in explaining why she can not marry him one of the first times he asks.

What is a diamond really worth?  “A gem has no practical use. It is worth everything and nothing. Rare and beautiful, yes, but it will not feed you when you are hungry nor clothe you, nor keep off the rain. Its value is totally dependent upon what someone will pay for it. It has been said that the Great Mogul’s diamond is worth all the gold in the world. Yet a starving man whould trade it for a crust of bread.” Jean-Baptiste musing on what value to place on the great blue diamond he has acquired.

Diamonds are a girl's best friend:  “[His majesty] should have been a baker. He wishes to slather frosting on every one of his tarts.” A cousin and partner of Jean-Baptiste’s on the king’s taste (or lack thereof) in jewels.

Rating: Very Good (4 stars)

In case the FTC asks: The author kindly sent me a copy of the book to review. It was on my wishlist anyway…