The Story Behind the Hope Diamond
Many stories abound about one of the most famous diamonds in the world - the Hope Diamond - and the most prevalent speaks of a curse to those who own it. This famous diamond is quite large at 45.52 carats and the color is a deep blue and is likely the largest of its kind in the world.
One of the most interesting physical aspects of the Hope Diamond is its classification as phosphoresce and semi-conductive nature. In fact, this diamond, when exposed to small bursts of ultraviolet light, will seem to glow in a vibrant color red. To the naked eye, the diamond is a rich blue which can be attributed to the minute traces of the element boron.
Quick History
The original stone in which the Hope Diamond was derived from was a whopping 115 carats and mined from Golconda, India's Kollur mine. French traveling merchant Jean Baptiste Tavernier purchased the large crude hunk of diamond although the rumor was that this merchant stole the diamond out of a Hindu idol.
Tavernier finally sold the diamond to King Louis XIV of France in the late 1660's who then had his jeweler cut the rough stone down to a more manageable size. The Hope Diamond was passed along to the next king, King Louis XV of France who wore it on special occasions. Following his death, the diamond was simply stored away until King Louis XVI gave it to Marie Antoinette. During the French Revolution, the diamond was stolen and Marie and the King beheaded for treason, this kicking off the strings of deaths surrounding the precious gem.
The Hope Diamond all but disappeared from history for years until it resurfaced in England where it went through a string of owners, some going bankrupt after acquiring ownership, all of whom died before their time. It made its way to a Sultan of Turkey who gave it to one of his four wives but eventually, the sultan bowed to pressure from his people to have it sold. Of course, tragedy befell on the sultan and he went bankrupt, with the government seizing the profits from sale of the Hope Diamond to an American socialite named Evalyn Walsh McLean.
Mrs. McLean wore the diamond quite often at social events for almost thirty years and after her death, the diamond was purchased by famous jeweler Harry Winston. Eventually, Winston donated the Hope Diamond to the Smithsonian Institute after a few years of it traveling in exhibitions around the world. Its permanent home in the institute has not sparked any unusual or untimely deaths, perhaps because no one truly owns it now.
Barring times when the Hope Diamond is being properly maintained or on loan for brief exhibitions, it resides in the Smithsonian where it is protected by bulletproof glass and a menagerie of security systems. As no deaths have been reported in regards to any people who have worked in close contact of the diamond, one might say that the curse is broken, but that is for you to decide.
