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The stone that eventually became known as the Hope Diamond was originally acquired in India. A French jewel trader named Jean Baptiste Tavernier brought the large (it weighed 1112 3/16 carats) stone back with him from a trip in 1642. Tavernier described the diamond as being a "beautiful violet" color.
Over the years, the diamond has changed hands many times. It has also been re-cut more than once. In addition, the Hope Diamond is said to carry a curse.
According to legend, Tavernier stole the diamond from the forehead (in some versions of the story, it was the eye) of a Hindu goddess known as Sita. Because of this violation against the goddess, Tavernier's "punishment" was that he would come to a violent end. He was attacked and killed by a pack of wild dogs on a later trip to Russia. The fact that he no longer owned the diamond at that point seemed to be of no consequence.
The French Crown Jewels
In fact, the next owner of the magnificent blue stone was none other than King Louis XIV of France. The monarch purchased the diamond from Tavernier in 1668, along with several other stones. The large blue diamond was re-cut into a 67 1/8-carat stone by the court jeweler of the time. The color of the re-cut stone was then known as the "Blue Diamond of the Crown" or the "French Blue". The King wore the diamond on a ribbon worn around his neck on state occasions.
Fast-forward to 1749. King Louis XV had his court jeweler re-set the diamond. It was now set into the Toison D'OR (the Order of the Golden Fleece), a piece of ceremonial jewelry.
After Louis XV's demise, his grandson Louis XVI ascended to the throne. Louis XVI and his queen, Marie Antoinette, were both beheaded during the French Revolution. Some have suggested that the fact they owned the diamond was a factor, but it is much more likely that the Revolution came about due to their extravagant lifestyle and the common people wanting a better quality of life for themselves. Certainly, the Royal couple were not the only ones who were executed during the Revolution.
The French Blue and the other Crown jewels were taken from the couple when they were apprehended while trying to flee to safety in Austria.
The Crown jewels were stored in the Garde-Meuble during the French Revolution. They were stolen from that location in September of 1792. The Crown jewels were subsequently recovered, with the exception of the French Blue.
A large, blue diamond surfaced in England in 1812. It is thought that the stone, owned by diamond merchant Daniel Eliason, was the re-cut version of the French Blue. The estimated weight of the diamond was 44 carats.
Some evidence exists that Eliason sold the diamond to yet another monarch, England's King George IV. As the King died deeply in debt, the diamond was sold as part of the estate.
The Hope Diamond
The next owner on record of the diamond was Henry Philip Hope (hence the name "Hope Diamond"). Hope died in 1839 and eventually the diamond was passed on to his nephew, Henry Thomas Hope. From there, it went to a grandson, Lord Francis Hope.
Lord Francis Hope also found himself in financial trouble (likely due to gambling) and in 1901 he was able to get permission from the Court of Chancery to sell the stone. It was bought by a jeweler from London. From that point on, the diamond changed hands several more times until it was purchased by Pierre Cartier in 1909.
A woman from Washington, D.C., Mrs. Evalyn Walsh McLean, saw the Hope Diamond at Cartier's showroom in Paris. She didn't care for the way the stone was set. Cartier had it re-set and allowed Mrs. McLean to borrow the diamond to wear for a weekend. Mrs. McLean bought the Hope Diamond in 1911 and wore it up until her death in 1947.
After Mrs. McLean's death, her impressive jewelry collection was purchased by Harry Winston Inc. In addition to the Hope Diamond, the collection included a nine-carat green diamond, the McLean Diamond (31 carats), the Star of the South Diamond (15 carats), and the Star of the East Diamond (94.8 carats).
The Hope Diamond forms part of a pendant. Sixteen white diamonds surround the large stone; these diamonds are both cushion-cut and pear-shaped stones. The chain attached to the Hope Diamond features 45 white diamonds.
Since November 10, 1958, the Hope Diamond has been part of the collection at the Smithsonian Institution. This magnificent blue stone is a popular attraction to this day.
Is the Hope Diamond Cursed?
The idea of the Hope Diamond carrying a curse certainly does add a touch of intrigue to the stone's story. The fact that several people who owned the diamond fell on hard times likely has more to do with poor financial decisions or a penchant for games of chance than some type of a curse associated with the Hope Diamond.
Jodee Redmond
http://paranormal.suite101.com
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