Author: Melinda Sineriz / Source: did you know?
The Hope Diamond has a rich and bizarre history. Today, the deep-blue diamond is housed at the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum of Natural History. It made its way to the Smithsonian in 1958, but where was it before that? And where was it discovered? Is it really cursed?
Read on to find out more about this impressive gem.How It All Began
The diamond is believed to have been mined in the Kollur mine in India. Soon after, it was purchased by French merchant Jean Baptiste Tavernier. At the time, it was over 100 carats, which is more than twice as large as its present size of 42.52 carats.
Next Stop: Royalty
King Louis XIV of France purchased the diamond, along with other diamonds and jewels, from Tavernier in 1668. He had the stone recut down to 67 1/8 carats and set on a cravat pin. At the time, the diamond became known as “The French Blue.” It was reset by King Louis XV (King Louis the XIV’s great-grandson) in 1749 and was turned over to the French government in 1791 by Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. Some say Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were victims of the…
The post The Fascinating History of the Hope Diamond appeared first on FeedBox.