Everyone knows the 50th wedding anniversary is a golden anniversary, unless you’re the Smithsonian. Their love affair and marriage with the famous Hope blue diamond has lasted a full fifty years, and now they’re celebrating this occasion with even more diamonds. In honor of the occasion, they’ve commissioned the illustrious Harry Winston designers, to create three fabulous new settings for the much acclaimed blue diamond. The public is invited to join in by voting for their favorite design, all of which have a hopeful theme.
A Successful Marriage of Riches and History
The Hope diamond is famous, not just for being the largest blue diamond ever found. It also has a long history that made it a great fit for the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. Ever since its installation at the Smithsonian, this diamond has attracted an estimated 7 million people through their doors. It has played a role in royal history, had a stint with a heiress, and been smuggled and stolen as its owners began to wonder if it was cursed too. It’s this rich history that really adds to the mystery of the Hope diamond, even though the uniqueness of its color is beyond compare. This color is obtained from traces of boron that are embedded in the diamond itself.
A Mystery With Some Clues
The origins of the Hope diamond is lost in obscurity, although there are some clues. It appeared on the jewelry scene twenty years after the French Revolution in London, and many surmise it was cut from the French crown jewels. King Louis XIV of France was known to have in his possession a larger, blue, diamond by the name of the French Blue. This gemstone disappeared during the French Revolution and is believed to have been cut into smaller stones to smuggle it out of the country and avoid detection, thus reappearing in London many years later.
We do know that the Hope diamond got its name from the Hope family, who owned it during the 19th century. Several of the Hope family members met unfortunate endings, and this, along with its association with the French Revolution started a rumor that the stone was cursed. Ultimately, whether the story is genuine or not, it attracted the ears of its last private owner, the heiress, Evalyn McLean, who liked to buy jewelry with colorful stories associated to them. After she too experienced severe misfortunes, including the loss of her two children, the story of the Hope curse stuck. When Evalyn McLean’s jewelry estate was bought by Harry Winston, he donated it to the Smithsonian, where it remains today.
A Favorite Stop For Tourists
The Hope diamond is a rare treat for visitors to the museum. Its classic setting has not changed in fifty years, and many may find the idea of voting for a new setting a bit disturbing, if it weren’t for the fact that it will be temporary – lasting a total of six months at most. Anyone who wants to vote, can do so online at the Smithsonian’s channel website. They can choose from three different and glamorous styles with hopeful names: Renewed Hope, Embracing Hope, and Journey of Hope.