The French Blue is a sweeping historical epic based on the true events of gem merchant Jean Baptiste Tavernier's six 17th-century voyages to Persia and India. Gemologist Richard Wise's captivating, true story follows Tavernier's adventures---the purchase of the Great Blue Diamond and his grand romance with Madeleine de Goisse, the bastard daughter of a French courtesan and a Persian king.

Now, almost 400 years since his birth, Tavernier's legacy includes the Hope Diamond, the world's most famous gem. Purchased by Louis XIV, the Sun King, for 147 kilos of pure gold, this fabulous diamond---originally known as The French Blue---was recut, stolen, and recut again---is now on display in the Smithsonian. The text includes maps, illustrations, and Tavernier's original drawings.