Paris — In 1926, Paris hotel chambermaid Suzanne Schiltz unknowingly uncovered a crucial clue in one of France’s most unusual diamond thefts.
While cleaning a hotel room, Schiltz spotted an apple inside a suitcase belonging to two young men. She took a bite and quickly discovered that something extremely hard was hidden inside. The object was identified as the Grand Condé diamond, one of France’s historic and rare gemstones.
The discovery helped investigators link the two men to a robbery at Château de Chantilly, where more than 75 pieces of jewelry had been stolen. The stolen collection was worth approximately $3 million at the time.
The Grand Condé had originally been part of a medal connected to the Order of the Golden Fleece before it was later mounted into a ring. Its history added significant value beyond that of the gemstone itself.
The remarkable story is receiving renewed attention as the diamond goes on public display alongside scientific research aimed at documenting its distinctive characteristics. The work is also intended to make the gemstone harder to sell should it ever be stolen.
The exhibition comes less than a year after the high-profile Louvre jewelry robbery in October 2025, bringing fresh attention to the challenges of protecting historically significant jewels.
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