An examination on the same day by another gemologist using a very sensitive colorimeter revealed that there is a very slight violet component to the deep blue color which is imperceptible to the naked eye. This diamond, which was most likely from the Kollur mine in Golconda, India, was somewhat triangular in shape and crudely cut. Weight: 45.52 carats Dimensions: Length 25.60 mm, Width 21.78 mm, Depth 12.00 mm Cut: Cushion antique brilliant with a faceted girdle and extra facets on the pavilion Clarity: VS1.Whitish graining is present. The Hope Diamond is a 45.52 carat fancy dark grayish-blue diamond currently in the possession of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC. For the next 10 years the Hope Diamond was shown at many exhibits and charity events worldwide, before it was donated to the Smithsonian Institution, where it remains today as a premier attraction. At Versailles, you see the glass of chandeliers exquisitely cut to reflect and refract the light. On November 10, 1958, they donated the Hope diamond to the Smithsonian Institution, and almost immediately the great blue stone became its premier attraction. The gem is slightly lopsided, possibly because the bottom of the teardrop shape was cut away so that the original stolen jewel could not be identified. In this exciting continuation of the Hidden Expedition series, your journey takes you from the Smithsonian Institution's iconic castle to the remotest jungle as you track down the missing shards and learn the Hope Diamond's secrets. The Hope Diamond at the Smithsonian museum in Washington, DC (AFP via Getty Images) I. n the midst of the pandemic, diamonds (at least newly mined ones) may have lost their lustre. For the next 10 years the Hope diamond was shown at many exhibits and charitable events world wide by Harry Winston Inc., including as the central attraction of their Court of Jewels exhibition. Uncover the brilliant history of the Hope Diamond and the dark legacy of the world's most celebrated jewel. You're looking at one of the world's most famous gems - renowned for its flawless clarity, rare deep blue color, and evenful history. But in the studio of his New York apartment, John Hatleberg is betting it will soon be back. Whitish graining is present. This valuable gem traveled safe and sound to the museum through the US mail. 10. Harry Winston donated the stone to the Smithsonian in November 1958, and since then, it has mainly resided in the National Museum of Natural History. A bail is soldered to the pendant where Mrs. McLean would often attach other diamonds including the McLean diamond and the Star of the East. A bail is soldered to the pendant where Mrs. McLean would often attach other diamonds including the McLean diamond and the Star of the East. Like all diamonds, it is formed when carbon atoms form strong bonds. In the pendant surrounding the Hope diamond are 16 white diamonds, both pear-shapes and cushion cuts. This collection also included the 94.8-carat Star of the East diamond, the 15-carat Star of the South diamond, a 9-carat green diamond, and a 31-carat diamond which is now called the McLean diamond. We read all incoming messages and will get to yours in the order it was received. The employee paid $145.29 to mail the package. The Hope Diamond is one of the most spectacular gems in the world, but some people believe ownership comes at a cost. Dimensions: Length 25.60 mm, Width 21.78 mm, Depth 12.00 mm, Cut: Cushion antique brilliant with a faceted girdle and extra facets on the pavilion, Clarity: VS1. Date published: 2015-10-15. Smithsonian Closed, Hope Diamond Awaits Its Synthetic Twin In the midst of the pandemic, diamonds (at least newly mined ones) may have lost their luster. The Smithsonian signed off on its inclusion in this tale about one of the world's most mysterious artifacts, the Hope Diamond, and you can see why. Harry Winston Inc. of New York City purchased Mrs. McLean's entire jewelry collection, including the Hope diamond, from her estate in 1949. It is classified as a type IIb diamond, which are semiconductive and usually phosphoresce. Hope Diamond is a Trademark by Smithsonian Institution, the address on file for this trademark is Po Box 37012., Sib 302 Mrc 012, Washington, DC 20013 Beautiful and dangerous, with a lurid past as stormy as the queens who once wore it, the Hope diamond at the Smithsonian’s Museum of Natural History is almost a compulsory stop on the family visit to Washington D.C. In the pendant surrounding the Hope diamond are 16 white diamonds, both pear-shapes and cushion cuts. Hope Diamond Delivered by Mail When New York jeweler Harry Winston donated the famous Hope Diamond – all 45.52 carats of it – to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., he chose a familiar, trusted carrier to transport the jewel: the Post Office Department. Cartier had the diamond reset and took it to the U.S. where he left it with Mrs. McLean for a weekend. The Smithsonian's famous Hope diamond may actually have originated from more than three times deeper in the Earth than other diamonds. In 1901 Lord Francis Hope obtained permission from the Court of Chancery and his sisters to sell the stone to help pay off his debts. Strong evidence indicates that the stone was the recut French Blue and the same stone known today as the HopeDiamond. The Hope diamond has left the Smithsonian only four times since it was donated. Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History: Hope diamond - See 12,206 traveler reviews, 7,963 candid photos, and great deals for Washington DC, DC, at Tripadvisor. In 1984 the diamond was lent to Harry Winston Inc., in New York, as part of the firm's 50th anniversary celebration. Unfortunately, the catalog does not reveal where or from whom Hope acquired the diamond or how much he paid for it. Minutes. The Hope Diamond is renowned for its rare color and rich history. Rosenau and then resold to Pierre Cartier that same year. A triumph of hope over experience, perhaps – or in defiance of the curse – he sent it to the museum by ordinary registered post. Box 37012, Washington, DC 20013 The Hope Diamond. The necklace chain contains 45 white diamonds. India. The Smithsonian has primarily displayed the Hope Diamond in the McLean pendant setting since its arrival in the museum's collection. The Hope diamond has left the Smithsonian only four times since it was donated. The Hope Diamond, the largest of all blue diamonds, 45.52 carats, exhibited at the National Museum of Natural History. While you’ve been binge-watching Netflix and peering anxiously at your sourdough, John Hatleberg has been working on replicas of the Hope Diamond and its earlier incarnations for the Smithsonian. The Hope Diamond The Hope diamond’s allegedly cursed reputation is as well known as How the Priceless Hope Diamond Traveled Through USPS, Mystery of the Hope Diamond: Behind the Scenes, Historic Findings in the Smithsonian's Curators Reports, Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, African Art, Assistant Secretary for Communications and External Affairs. They described the color as a fancy dark grayish-blue. At his death, in 1830, the king's debts were so enormous that the blue diamond was likely sold through private channels. It was set in gold and suspended on a neck ribbon which the king wore on ceremonial occasions. Despite all the facts and figures, Hidden Expedition 6 is nothing near boring. Drawings of diamonds from The six voyages of John Baptista Tavernier. Several references suggest that it was acquired by King George IV of the United Kingdom. Mrs. McLean's flamboyant ownership of the stone lasted until her death in 1947. It held one of the most famous gems in America, the Hope Diamond. The Hope diamond is on display in the Smithsonian … Mystery of the Hope Diamond. This strategy was successful. King Louis XV, in 1749, had the stone reset by court jeweler Andre Jacquemin, in a piece of ceremonial jewelry for the Order of the Golden Fleece (Toison D'Or). 46. He viewed his reign as one of enlightenment, of letting in the light of divine kingship, of letting knowledge, and beauty, and the arts shine. Its color was described by Tavernier as a "beautiful violet.". Hope Diamond and Smithsonian Castle are tied for my two favorite games, can't decide which I like more and luckily I don't have to because I own them both! In 1996 the Hope diamond was again sent to Harry Winston Inc., in New York, this time for cleaning and some minor restoration work. In 1974 it was removed from its setting and found actually to weigh 45.52 carats. They observed that the gem shows evidence of wear, has a remarkably strong phosphorescence, and that its clarity is slightly affected by a whitish graining which is common to blue diamonds. The diamond was next sold to Selim Habib who put it up for auction in Paris in 1909. Smithsonian Institution Archives, Image ID: SIA2010-0338 The Hope Diamond was originally embedded in kimberlite, and was later extracted and refined to form the gem it is today. It was sold to a London dealer who quickly sold it to Joseph Frankels and Sons of New York City, who retained the stone in New York until they, in turn, needed cash. Learn more about this remarkable stone at the Smithsonian’s Hope Diamond website. Sometime later it became the pendant on a diamond necklace as we know it today. Your message has been sent successfully. Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History: The Hope Diamond - See 12,206 traveler reviews, 7,963 candid photos, and great deals for Washington DC, DC, at Tripadvisor. Following the death of Henry Philip Hope in 1839, and after much litigation, the diamond passed to his nephew Henry Thomas Hope and ultimately to the nephew's grandson Lord Francis Hope. You see mirrors and windows and the dazzling use of light in the architecture and the décor. Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, Inside the Smithsonian Channel Documentary about the Hope Diamond, The Extraordinary History of the Hope Diamond. Nine years later, Winston mailed the gem to the Smithsonian for $2.44 in postage and $155 in insurance. In 1962 it was exhibited for a month at the Louvre in Paris, France, as part of an exhibit entitled Ten Centuries of French Jewelry. The sale was made in 1911 with the diamond mounted as a headpiece on a three-tiered circlet of large white diamonds. Now, recall, Louis XIV was called the Sun King, and if you have been to Versailles, you know why. The diamond's blue coloration is attributed to trace amounts of boron in the stone. The first reference to the diamond's next owner is found in the 1839 entry of the gem collection catalog of the well-known Henry Philip Hope, the man from whom the diamond takes its name. In 1962 it was exhibited for a month at the Louvre in Paris, France, as part of an exhibit entitled Ten Centuries of French Jewelry. Rated 5 out of 5 by LavaReign from Awesome! In 1791, after an attempt by Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette to flee France, the jewels of the French Royal Treasury were turned over to the government. Postage accounted for only $2.44 of the total cost. In 1965 the Hope diamond traveled to South Africa where it was exhibited at the Rand Easter Show in Johannesburg. Hope Diamond Data. The origins of the Hope Diamond are mired in myth and rumor, but it is now generally agreed that it was discovered in India, in the Kollur mine in Golconda, in modern-day Andhra Pradesh. In December of 1988, a team from the Gemological Institute of America visited the Smithsonian to grade the great blue stone using present day techniques. Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, Inside the Smithsonian Channel Documentary about the Hope Diamond, The Extraordinary History of the Hope Diamond. In 1910 the Hope diamond was shown to Mrs. Evalyn Walsh McLean, of Washington D.C., at Cartier's in Paris, but she did not like the setting. Yes, mailed in. 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