HOPE DIAMOND 063
T
he Hope Diamond is celebrated
first and foremost for its stunning
colour and size. It weighs 45.52
carats and is the world’s largest
deep blue diamond to date. Its
extraordinary colour is caused by
the mineral boron: most natural
blue diamonds contain tiny
particles of boron, averaging
fewer than 0.5 parts per million
(ppm), but areas of the Hope
Diamond have as many as
8ppm. It also glows red under
ultraviolet light.
Adding to its aura of mystery, the Hope
Diamond is said to carry a curse – various
figures from its history have suffered
ill fortune, including Marie Antoinette,
guillotined in the French Revolution,
and American heiress Evalyn Walsh
McLean, who was struck by a catalogue
of misfortunes. She bought the gem in 1911
and suffered bereavement, divorce, and
bankruptcy. Its last private owner, jewellerHarry Winston, posted it to the
Smithsonian, its current owners, paying
$155 in insurance, but even the postman
who delivered it attracted ill luck – he
was allegedly hit by a truck.
For all the accursed tales
surrounding it, the Hope
Diamond has an illustrious, royal
provenance. Discovered in an
Indian mine in the 18th century,
it was originally a larger stone
weighing 115 carats. It was
called the Tavernier Diamond
after its first owner, Jean-
Baptiste Tavernier. He sold it to Louis XIV,
who had it cut. The larger part was a
67.12-carat heart-shaped diamond known
as the French Blue. This gem, inherited by
Louis VI and Marie Antoinette, was stolen
during the French Revolution but surfaced
in London in 1812 as a smaller, recut gem.
The diamond was documented in 1839
owned by Henry Philip Hope, who gave
it its name – then died in the same year.Key dates
Mid-1600s–1958
1650170017501800190020001850The Order of the Golden
Fleece pendantHope
Diamond
American heiress Evalyn Walsh McLean, pictured wearing
the Hope Diamond in its necklace setting, and whose
personal misfortune fuelled rumours of a curseKing Louis XV of France, a
former owner of the diamond△ Hope Diamond in its necklace settingBrilliant colours
... all are found
enclosed in
a morsel of
pure carbon
Charles Blanc
Author1668 Tavernier sells the
diamond to French king
Louis XIV, who cuts it into
a smaller gem, known
as the French BlueMid-1600s French
merchant Jean-Baptiste
Tavernier acquires a crudely
cut diamond in India. It
weighs around 115 carats1749 Louis XV has the
Rose de Paris diamond set
within the ornate pendant
necklace, The Order of
the Golden Fleece, by
jeweller Andre Jacquemin1830 Henry Philip Hope
buys the diamond in London
from the estate of George IV
of England19501949 New York jeweller
Harry Winston buys the
diamond, along with the rest
of Mrs McLean’s jewels1911 Jeweller Pierre Cartier
sells the diamond, after
resetting it in a headpiece,
to Edward and Evalyn
Walsh McLean1958 Harry Winston Inc.
donates the diamond to
the Smithsonian, sending
it by registered first-class
mail. It can still be seen
there today1868 Wilkie Collins
writes The Moonstone,
a work of fiction about
a cursed gem, based
on the Hope Diamond1887 Henry Hope’s heir,
Lord Henry Hope, inherits
the gem; he is forced
to sell it in 1901 to pay
off his debts062-063_STO_Hope_Diamond.indd 63 18/05/2016 10:57