Life
Barren Hope
The mysterious 45.52 carat diamond blue gem has long been associated with a curse, which is more the stuff of legend than fact.
| Here’s your chance to weigh in on the setting for the world’s most famous diamond.
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History is inviting viewers to vote on three possible settings for the fabled Hope Diamond to commemorate the diamond’s 50 year anniversary at the Smithsonian (smithsonianchannel.com/hope) The mysterious 45.52 carat diamond blue gem, which was donated to the Smithsonian 50 years ago by New York jeweler Harry Winston is currently on display as a stand alone gem. Once the new setting is selected, the diamond will be displayed in the new design from May. The diamond was mined in India and was a part of the French crown jewels until it was looted after the French revolution. It has long been associated with a curse, which is more the stuff of legend than fact. The curse stems from the fact that French King Louis XVI and his wife, the infamous Marie Antoinette, were executed and another owner, the Washington socialite Evalyn Walsh McLean, who acquired the gem in 1912, suffered several personal tragedies, including the loss of two children. |