The Hope Diamond’s Mystery & Curse
No doubt, the Hope diamond is one of the most prominent diamonds of all time. It's also known as the king of jewel "Le Bijou du Roi" and France's Blue "Le bleu de France". Moreover, the Tavernier Blue is it's another name. The Hope Diamond is 45.52 carats and has a beautiful deep blue hue. With its elegance, you probably wouldn't want to wear or own it because it's claimed to be cursed.
The notorious diamond has been robbed at least twice in its long and rich history. Moreover, it has changed hands many times since its discovery in India in 1642. It leaves an impression of bad fortune and supposedly bad luck for almost every owner. The following are some of the myths, legends, and victims associated with the mystical Hope Diamond:
115.16-carat blue diamond stolen from a Hindu Statue
The Tavernier Blue, which was the ancestor to many large diamonds, including the Hope Diamond, has begun the curse. The 115.16-carat blue diamond was reportedly stolen from a Hindu statue, where it was serving as one of the eyes, by Jean-Baptiste Tavernier, a 17th-century French gem dealer.
The priests cursed whoever had stolen the gem when they realized it was missing. Tavernier is said to have developed a raging fever shortly after stealing the diamond and died soon after. According to other sources, he lived to be 84 years old.
The Hope Diamond recut to 69 carats in 1673
The diamond was sold by the Tavernier to King Louis XIV, who had it recut to make it 69 carats in 1673. It was known as "French Blue" or "The Blue Diamond of the Crown." King Louis XIV succumbed to gangrene and died.
Nicholas Fouquet was the real Man in the Iron Mask
Nicholas Fouquet is considered to be the real Man in the Iron Mask by others. He was a worker of King Louis XIV. And it’s believed that he had worn the diamond on a special event. He fell out of favour with the king shortly after and was exiled from France, where he was sentenced to life in prison. Fouquet spent 15 years in Pignerol's fortress.
The 1700s: Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette inherited the French Blue Diamond
Louis XVI and his wife, Marie Antoinette, inherited the French Blue Diamond after King Louis XIV's sad demise. Louis XVI was guillotined during France's tumultuous political age, and his wife was executed nine months later. Some people assume they died as a result of the Hope Diamond's curse.
The 1700s: Marie-Louise, Princess de Lamballe
Marie-Louise, Princess de Lamballe
Marie-Louise, Princess de Lamballe, was a close confidante of Marie Antoinette and a member of her court. She only wore the allegedly cursed diamond for a brief time before dying.
Wilhelm Fals was responsible for cutting the 45-carat Blue Hope Diamond
In French Revolution, the diamond was stolen and re-cut. Wilhelm Fals, a Dutch jeweller, was the person who had reduced the 115-carat diamond to the 45-carat Blue Hope Diamond of today. After it was cut, his son is accused of stealing the diamond, murdering his father, and then killing himself.
For several years, no one knew where the diamond was. In 1839, it reappeared in the catalogue of a gem collection owned by London's Hope family.
The Hope Diamond
Simon Maoncharides was a Greek merchant who owned the diamond and resold it in 1910 to Pierre Cartier. He drove his car over a cliff.
Evalyn Walsh McLean
In 1912, Evalyn Walsh McLean, a wealthy heiress, purchased the Hope Diamond from Pierre Cartier. According to myths, she even wore the diamond on her dog's collar. Her bad luck started with his mother-in-law's and her son's death at nine years of age.
Her husband deserted her for another woman and died in a mental facility later. Evalyn had to sell her newspaper, The Washington Post, after her daughter's death due to a drug overdose. She died under the burden of debts. In 1949, Evalyn's surviving children sold the diamond to a well-known jeweller.
The jeweller donated the 45.2-carat diamond to the Smithsonian Institution in 1958, for just $2.44 in postage and $155 in insurance, by sending it via the U.S. Mail.
The Hope Diamond Presented to the Smithsonian
Although the famous jeweller appeared to be unharmed, the mailman who delivered the diamond to the Smithsonian was injured in a truck accident shortly after. In a different crash, he sustained a head injury. His house burned down, contributing to his bad luck.
Where is The Hope Diamond Today?
The Hope Diamond Set into A Pendant
The Hope Diamond is kept in the National Gem and Mineral collection at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. Now, it’s priced at $250 million (R3 717 800 000). It is the Smithsonian's most popular exhibition and one of the most valuable diamonds of all time.