At first glance of the Hope Diamond, you question whether the diamond is in fact a diamond since its brilliance radiates of the brightest oceans and the bluest skies. The blue hue of the Hope Diamond is part of the gem’s mystic; it is the largest blue diamond, at 45.52 carats, in the world. However, the mystery doesn’t end there. Many believe in the Hope Diamond curse.
via Smithsonian Science
Marie Antoinette Acquires the Hope Diamond
According to the NYPost, the Hope Diamond, which is now owned by the Smithsonian, has been linked to several deadly happenings throughout history. It was discovered in India in the 17th century. Then, Marie Antoinette, who’d recently acquired the diamond, was beheaded along with her husband King Louis XVI. The story goes that she never even got a chance to wear it. During the French Revolution, the diamond was seized by the French government.
via Wikipedia
The Hope Diamond Curse: A Sham?
In 1812 the diamond made its way to London. An English lord named Henry Phillip Hope laid claim to the diamond, thus giving the blue rock its title. Over time the Hope Diamond crossed the Atlantic and made its way to the US, where it was acquired by heiress Evalyn Walsh McLean in 1912. This is where the legacy of the curse gets shady.
According to the Smithsonian, the heiress was fooled into paying a higher price for the diamond. The seller, French jeweler Pierre Cartier, concocted a long list of curses supposedly associated with the diamond. However, McLean was not aware of the falsehood of the tales, and several tragedies in her life were associated with the diamond. McLean lost her son in a car accident and her daughter died at the age of 21 from an overdose of laudanum, also known as opium. Her husband ended up institutionalized for alcoholism following his bankruptcy.
Famed jewelry Harry Winston bought the diamond in 1949, curse or no curse. And since then, it has been housed on display at the Smithsonian. No further curse related tales have been connected with the diamond.
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