In recent months, millions of dollars have been spent on some very impressive diamonds at auctions around the world. A colorless diamond in Hong Kong sold for $6.2 million, while a blue diamond in Geneva sold for more than $8 million.There is something romantic about the history of the diamond, something magical, and this is why so many people become enthralled by the stones and the stories they can tell. With all of the large diamonds being bought and sold in recent auctions in Geneva and Hong Kong, many people are remembering some of the famous diamonds of years past.
The Hope Diamond
One of the most famous diamonds in the world, of course, is the Hope Diamond. It is a large (45.52 carat), vibrantly blue diamond that currently resided in the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. It appears blue to the naked eye because of the boron in the stone - something that is needed for any diamond to appear blue.
The Hope Diamond has been around in some form or another for more than 400 years. A French traveler, Jean-Baptiste Tavernier, purchased it in 1660, but at this time, the blue diamond was a much larger and crudely cut diamond. Legend says that it originally came from a statue of a Hindu goddess. Eight years later, Tavernier sold the diamond to King Louis the XIV and cut it into the shape similar to what everyone knows today. It stayed in the royal family and was given to Marie Antoinette by Louis the XVI. When they were imprisoned during the French Revolution, the diamond was stolen. This was confirmed when the Smithsonian Institute performed later tests.
It passed through several more pairs of hands before it finally resurfaced in 1812 in the collection of Henry Phillip Hope. After his death, the family fought amongst one another for the right to keep the jewel. It continued its journey of being bought and sold in different parts of the world for many years. It is quite likely that it traveled more miles than any of its owners ever did!
Eventually the Hope, as it was now called, came to rest in the United States, but it is still not without controversy. Some believe a curse is associated with the Hope Diamond because of all the ill fortune that has followed it through the years. Could the wronged Hindu goddess be to blame, or are people’s imaginations getting the better of them? Since the Hope reached the Smithsonian, there have been no known strange events connected to it.
The Koh-i-noor
The Koh-i-noor, or the Mountain of Light as it is also known, is a huge diamond (105.6 carats) that is now a part of the British Crown Jewels. The history of his stone dates back more than seven hundred years. After the Persian Empire dissolved, the great diamond came to India. The true nature of how the diamond came to India isn’t known, but most believe it came there with a bodyguard who fled after his Shad was murdered. It was eventually claimed by the East India Company took the diamond as a partial indemnity and it was later given to Queen Victoria. It has stayed in the royal family, and it resides with the other Crown Jewels in the Tower of London. An interesting thing about this diamond, like the Hope, is that is supposedly carries a curse. It is believed that any male who owns the diamond will suffer greatly, but any female who possesses the diamond will have good luck. It is unknown exactly where this supposed curse originated.
The above are just two of the famous diamonds that have taken hold of the imagination of the world. Others include the Heart of Eternity, the Golden Jubilee, and the Idol’s Eye. Each has a unique and fascinating history that transcends time, and something about the journeys of these famous diamonds fascinates people.
While the diamonds that have been sold at auction recently don’t have the same vast and intriguing history that so many of the famous diamonds can boast, they are still quite impressive in their own rights, and it is true that many of the newer diamonds to enter the scene have been owned by royalty and other famous people.
Not everyone has a wallet deep enough to afford a large blue or colorless diamond, but that doesn’t mean that diamonds are out of your reach. You can still get in on the joy and investment aspects of collecting diamonds, as well as learning about the history of famous diamonds.
Diamonds are even being sought after as a sure method of investing for retirement. While investing in the stock market can be risky business, a diamond will retain its value over time. You don’t have to worry about having less money than you thought upon retirement.
Other articles of interest:
