Diamonds are the most desired stones in the world thanks to their great financial value. They have already been the subject of several films and books and starred in several disputes between kings, bankers and merchants. But among all the stones that have ever been heard of, one deserves to be highlighted: the Hope Diamond.
One of the most famous diamonds in the world, the Hope Diamond is on display at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in Washington (USA), and is the second most visited work of art in the world, behind only the Mona Lisa. Its fame is due to its size (45,52 carats, or 9,10g), its history (having even belonged to the French queen, Marie Antoinette) and the legend that says there is a curse surrounding its possession.
The jewel, to the naked eye, has a blue color due to its composition, which has traces of boron. This earned him the nickname “Le bleu de France” (The Blue of France). Were you curious? You need to know the intriguing history of this stone. Look!
The Story of the Hope Diamond
It all started in the 112th century. At that time, the stone weighed approximately XNUMX carats and had a triangular shape, poorly cut. A merchant named Jean Baptiste Tavenier was the one who acquired the diamond and, from his manuscripts, it is deduced that the stone originates from the Kollur mine, in India.
In 1668, Jean Baptiste sold the jewel to King Louis XIV who had it cut again, reducing its size but gaining in refinement and beauty. The king wore the stone around his neck on ceremonial occasions. A few years later, the diamond was offered to Marie Antoinette as a wedding symbol.
Throughout history, the jewel has passed through several hands. Its current name, Hope Diamond, was given when Henry Philip Hope registered it in his name. After his death, the stone stayed in Henry's family until 1901, when it was sold. In 1911, already in possession of Mrs. Evalyn Walsh McLean, the diamond started to compose the pendant of a diamond necklace, as it still is today.
The Legend and the Curse
The Hope Diamond would have been used as a decoration, representing the eyes of a deity, in an Indian temple that honored the goddess Sita. Legend has it that after the theft of the jewel, the natives placed a curse on all those who possessed the stone.
History has played its part, for shortly after he stole the stone, the thief was killed. Jean Baptiste Tavenier, who passed the stone to King Louis XIV, went bankrupt and contracted a deadly disease. And so, wherever it went, the jewel left a trail of deaths and bankruptcies.
the beauty of the jewel
The blue stone is of a unique beauty. Although our eyes see the color blue, it has red phosphorescence in the ultra violet spectrum. For many years it was rumored that its weight was 44,5 carats. However, in 1974, more accurate and modern equipment verified that its real weight was 45,52 carats.
Its beauty can be compared to a very rare Brazilian stone: the Paraíba Tourmaline. This gem is only found in five mines around the planet, three of them in Brazil. For this reason your quote is higher than diamonds. The production of paraíba tourmaline extracts only 20 thousand carats per year; Meanwhile, diamonds extract around 480 million carats annually.
Now that you know a little about the history of the Hope Diamond, don't miss the opportunity to learn all about this beautiful Brazilian jewel, Tourmaline Paraíba.
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