No one had yet identified the stone adorning the ring that George Sand received from her grandmother, who had received it in turn from the Grande Dauphine Marie-Josèphe (mother of Louis XVI). There was talk at first of a bright red ruby and then of a “colourless sapphire”. Thanks to the miniaturization of tools, the experts Delphine Chabert, Gérard Panczer and Geoffray Riondet have finally been able to examine the stone at the Museum of Romantic Life, where it is on display. The mystery has been solved: it is a barely bluish sapphire placed on a silver foil colored red to imitate the intensity of ruby. Nevertheless, this ring described by George Sand in “L’histoire de ma vie” remains extremely precious.

Gemmological results unveiled at the Objet d’art fair, from 13 to 15 April, 2018.