Francis Hope’s grandson, Lord Francis Hope, inherited the hope diamond after the family purchased it. However, reports of a curse continued, and he was eventually compelled to sell the diamond to pay off his debts. Evalyn Walsh McLean eventually acquired the Hope after selling it to several other jewel merchants throughout the years. They hosted elaborate garden parties and insisted that their guests look for Hope, which they did with many difficulties.
The Hope Diamond has owned several historical personalities. The diamond achieved notoriety as a result of the celebrity of its owners. King Louis XIV of France, who was the first person to purchase the diamond, is among the most well-known people who have had it. He ascended to the position of supreme monarch and had the diamond recut and transformed into a crown jewel. This is one of the most well-known jewelry pieces globally, and for a good reason. There have been a few other famous persons who have owned the Hope Diamond, including Princess Diana.
Hope Diamond
The Hope Diamond is a 45.52-carat 9.104 g diamond discovered in the 17th century at the Kollur Mine in Guntur, India, and was first extracted there. It has a blue tint due to trace levels of boron present in it. Because of its enormous size, it has disclosed new facts regarding the formation of diamonds.
The diamond is referred to as one of the Golconda diamonds because of its shape. According to the earliest known documents, the Tavernier Blue diamond was purchased by French gem merchant Jean-Baptiste Tavernier in 1666. Tavernier sold the stone to King Louis XIV of France in 1668 after having it cut and christened the French Blue (Le bleu de France). A part of the diamond bearing the Hope name first appeared in an 1839 gem catalog belonging to the Hope banking family, and the main section of the diamond was stolen in 1791 and recut.
Because of its legendary status, the famed diamond has been stolen at least twice throughout its long history. It has changed hands numerous times, leaving a path of unlucky fortune and presumably ill luck in the wake of its previous owners.
The following are some of the stories, legends, and people who owned the hope diamond:
1666: Jean-Baptiste Tavernier
According to the earliest known documentation, the Tavernier Blue diamond was purchased by French gem merchant Jean-Baptiste Tavernier in 1666. According to legend, the curse began with the Tavernier Blue, the forerunner to other huge diamonds, including the Hope Diamond, which was discovered later. Jean-Baptiste Tavernier, a 17th-century French stone merhant, allegedly took the 115.16-carat blue diamond from a Hindu deity, where it was serving as one of the eyes. When the priests discovered that the gem had gone missing, they cursed whoever it had. After taking the diamond, Tavernier is supposed to have developed a severe fever and passed tragically shortly after the incident.
1668: King Louis Xiv
Several huge diamonds that Tavernier sold to Louis XIV, presumably in 1673, are depicted in his book, the Six Voyages (French: Les Six Voyages de J. B. Tavernier), which may be found in the Library of Congress.
Tavernier sold the diamond to King Louis XIV, who had it recut to 69 carats in 1673. The King purchased the diamond from Tavernier, and it was referred to as “The Blue Diamond of the Crown” or the “French Blue.” King Louis XIV died of gangrene after a long illness.
The 1600s: Nicholas Fouquet
A momentous occasion is claimed to have been marked by the wearing of the diamond by Nicholas Fouquet, a courtier who worked for King Louis XIV. In the following months, he fell out of favor with the King of France and was expelled from the country. Fouquet was imprisoned in the stronghold of Pignerol for 15 years until the monarch commuted his sentence to life imprisonment. While some individuals believe that he was the true ManMan in the Iron Mask, other reports doubt this assertion.
A few people believe that Nicholas Fouquet was the ManMan in the Iron Mask, even though no such evidence exists. This ManMan served for King Louis XIV and is claimed to have donned the diamond on one of his royal engagements.
The 1700s: Louis Xvi And Marie Antoinette
Shortly after King Louis XIV died, the French Blue Diamond was transferred to Louis XVI and his wife, Marie Antoinette. France was undergoing a period of political upheaval at the time of Louis XVI’s execution, and nine months later, his wife was executed as well. The Hope Diamond’s curse, according to some, was the cause of their death.
The French Blue was passed down to Louis XVI, who wore it during the reign of Marie Antoinette, and we all know what occurred after that! We don’t have any photographic evidence that Marie was wearing the stone, but that’s the tale we’re going with.
The 1700s: Marie-Louise, Princess De Lamballe
In Marie Antoinette’s court, Marie-Louise, Princess de Lamballe, was one of her closest confidantes and a member of her inner circle. She was only a temporary holder of the allegedly cursed gem, and she passed shortly after.
It is believed that a mob slew her particularly heinously—she was decapitated, stripped, and disemboweled, among other things. Her head was impaled on a spear and carried to the prison window where Marie Antoinette was imprisoned.
1791: Wilhelm Fals
The diamond was taken and recut to its current shape during the French Revolution. A Dutch jeweler named Wilhelm Falls was responsible for cutting the 115-carat Hope Diamond down to the 45-carat Blue Hope Diamond that we see in the museum today. After the diamond was cut, he met with unfortunate circumstances when his son allegedly stole the diamond, murdered his father, and committed suicide.
For many years, no one knew where the diamond had disappeared to. In 1839, it was rediscovered in the catalog of a gem collection held by a family of London bankers known as the Hopes.
The 1900s: Simon Maoncharides
Simon Maoncharides was a Greek trader who acquired ownership of the diamond and subsequently sold it to Pierre Cartier in 1910. He lost control of his vehicle and drove it off a cliff.
1912: Evalyn Walsh Mcclean
Evalyn Walsh McLean was a wealthy heiress who, in 1912, purchased the Hope Diamond from Pierre Cartier for a sum of money. According to legend, there are rumors that she even wore the diamond on her dog’s collar. Her poor fortune began when her mother-in-law passed away, and her son died when he was nine years old. The woman’s husband abandoned her for another woman, and she was later committed to a mental institution. Her daughter’s death as a result of a drug overdose resulted in Evalyn being forced to sell her newspaper, The Washington Post. She died with a mountain of debt on her shoulders. In 1949, Evalyn’s surviving children sold the diamond to a well-known jeweler for money.
The jeweler donated the 45.2-carat diamond to the Smithsonian Institution in 1958, shipping it to the institution via the United States Postal Service for only $2.44 in postage and $155 in insurance.
1958: James Todd
Shortly afterward, James Todd, the postmaster who carried the diamond to the Smithsonian, was reportedly involved in a car accident, losing his leg. A separate collision resulted in his suffering a concussion. Oh, and his house was destroyed by fire.
A separate collision resulted in his suffering a concussion. His house was destroyed by fire, adding to his string of misfortune.
What Is The Estimated Value Of The Hope Diamond?
The Hope Diamond is a 45.52 carat blue diamond with a cut of emerald. The blue diamond in question is the largest blue diamond ever unearthed to date. The Hope family has owned the property since 1824, and their name is Hope. It is a recut diamond from the original “Bleu de France.”
“The Hope Diamond,” also known as the “King’s Jewel,” “the French Blue,” and “the Tavernier Blue,” is a big deep-blue diamond that weighs 45.52 carats (9.104 g) and is set in a pendant by the French jeweler Toison d’.
An exact reproduction of the specimen is currently on display at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC, in the National Gem and Mineral collection.
What Happened To The Hope Diamond’s Owners?
Its allure is heightened by its exciting history, which includes being owned by King Louis XIV, being stolen during the French Revolution, being sold to raise money for gambling, being worn to raise money for charity, and finally being donated to the Smithsonian Institution, where it currently resides.
He left his wealth to his three nephews when he died in 1839 because he had never married. The Hope diamond was awarded to Henry Thomas Hope, the eldest of the Hope nephews.
Who Is The Current Owner Of The Hope Diamond?
For the next six years, the Hope Diamond will be kept in the safe of Joseph Frankel and Sons. The Walsh family has relocated to a mansion on Massachusetts Avenue in Washington, DC, for the first time. Evalyn Walsh marries Edward (Ned) McLean, the heir to the riches of the Washington Post newspaper, and they have two children.
The Hope Diamond is one of the most well-known and valuable diamonds globally, and it is also one of the most expensive. This deep-blue diamond weighs 45.52 carats and is worth over USD 350 million.
Who Was The Thief Of The Hope Diamond?
During the French Revolution, the diamond was taken and recut to its current shape. A Dutch jeweler named Wilhelm Falls was responsible for cutting the 115-carat Hope Diamond down to the 45-carat Blue Hope Diamond that we see in the museum today.
When Louis XV passed away, his grandson, Louis XVI, ascended to the throne, with Marie Antoinette as his consort. Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI were both assassinated during the French Revolution, although not, of course, due to the curse of the blue diamond on the diamond.
What Is The Meaning Of Hope Diamond’s Curse?
The possessor of the Hope diamond, according to mythology, is cursed, a curse that originally befell the enormous bluestone when it was plucked (i.e., stolen) from an idol in India—a curse that promised lousy luck and death not only for the diamond’s owner but for anyone who touched it.
The Hope diamond has attracted people’s interest, whether they believe in curses. It is stunningly distinctive and gorgeous because of its superb quality, enormous size, and rare hue. It has a fascinating history that includes being owned by King Louis XIV, being stolen during the French Revolution, being sold to make money for gambling, being worn to raise money for charity, and ultimately being presented to the Smithsonian Institution where it now rests. The Hope diamond is one-of-a-kind.
Conclusion
Several people have owned the diamond, including Washington socialite Evalyn Walsh McLean, who was frequently photographed wearing it. The diamond was purchased by Harry Winston, a New York gem merchant, in 1949 and traveled the world for several years until being donated to the National Museum of Natural History in the United States in 1958, where it is now on permanent display.
People often think of the Hope Diamond as a historical gem. Still, according to experts, it’s also important as a rare scientific specimen that can provide critical insights into our understanding of diamonds and how they are generated on the earth. Color descriptions include “fancy dark greyish-blue”, “dark blue in color”, and “steely-blue.” It has also been described as a “fancy dark greyish-blue” and “dark blue in color.” Colorimetric tests have demonstrated that blue diamonds similar to the Hope are grayer (have a lower saturation level) than blue sapphires of the same color.
