The
Hope Diamond
This diamond has an infamous reputation. Louis XIV of France wore
the 67 carat diamond on special occasions and it became know as
the "Blue Diamond of the Crown" or the "French Blue." During the
French Revolution of 1792 the blue diamond was stolen. It is thought
that the diamond was acquired by King George IV of England but
sold after his death due to large debts.
In
1839 the diamond was listed as belonging to Henry Philip Hope,
from which it got it's now famous name. It was during this time
that the legend of the Hope Diamond curse began, spurred on by
the fact that all of Mr. Hope's family died in poverty.
The
Hope diamond passed though several owners until it finally was
purchased in 1911 by Mrs. Evalyn Walsh McLean from the famous
jeweler, Cartier. She had the now 44 carat diamond set as a pendant
with 16 white diamonds surrounding it and a chain of 45 white
diamonds.
The
diamond's curse continued when her son died an untimely death.
But Evalyn did not believe the misfortune was connected with the
Hope. She would not be parted from the Hope Diamond and wore it
often.
At
her death in 1949, Harry Winston brought it and displayed it frequently
in jewelry exhibitions. In 1958 he donated the Hope Diamond to
the Smithsonian.
The Hope Diamond fluoresces with a unique reddish color when exposed
to ultraviolet light.
