Cursed Beauty

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If This Stone Could Talk, Oh what A Tale It Would Be -

The Hope diamond beyond its obvious value has captured more headlines than any other stone on earth. The lore behind the stone makes this remarkable stone legendary in its own right. The diamond is long believed to be cursed and has plenty of historical records to aptly back up this theory.

This rare blue diamond is 1.1 billion years old, weighs in over 45 carats and is about the size of a large walnut. The estimated worth of the stone is said to be over a quarter of a billion dollars.

Throughout its long sordid past that began around 1666 there has been multiple accounts of misfortune that befell anyone who came into contact with the stone. Owners committed suicide, were murdered, and left penniless through bad investments. While others suffered drug addiction, failed marriages, insanity and dead children.

The famous diamond didn't actually receive its current name until 1839 when it appeared in the gem catalogue of a wealthy banking family by the name of Hope. This occurred after the stone was stolen in 1971 and was recut.

Blue Beginnings

The stones beginning is believed to have started in India and was first named the Tavernier Blue by a French gem-merchant Jean-Baptiste Tavernier. He then sold it to King Louis XIV in 1668.

After a long lineage of numerous owners, mining heiress, Evalyn Walsh McLean purchased the stone. The socialite was seen often wearing it. She is famous for being the last private owner of the Hope diamond.

She later sold her entire collection to Harry Winston for $180,000 in 1949. The New York gem-merchant toured the stone for a number of years before giving it to the Smithsonian in 1958 where it remains on permanent display today.

Perhaps the stones final placement in a museum for all to admire its beauty will somehow break its curse.