Harry Winston purchased the Hope Diamond from Evalyn Walsh McLean’s estate in 1949, exhibited the Hope Diamond worldwide in his Court of Jewels exhibit, and then donated the Hope Diamond to the Smithsonian Institution in 1958. Over 100 million visitors have experienced the beauty of the Hope Diamond since Harry Winston donated it to the Smithsonian Institution in 1958. Hope Diamond Data. 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. 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. On November 10, 1958, they donated the Hope diamond to the Smithsonian Institution, and almost immediately the great blue stone became its premier attraction. 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. It was set in gold and suspended on a neck ribbon which the king wore on ceremonial occasions. The Hope Diamond is one of the most spectacular gems in the world, but some people believe ownership comes at a cost. The Hope diamond has left the Smithsonian only four times since it was donated. Strong evidence indicates that the stone was the recut French Blue and the same stone known today as the HopeDiamond. 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. In its current state, the Hope Diamond has been cut into a round brilliant shape with additional facets along the pavilion, or base of the stone, to bring out the rich color and sparkle of the diamond. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. Nine years later, Winston mailed the gem to the Smithsonian for $2.44 in postage and $155 in insurance. Harry Winston Inc. of New York City purchased Mrs. McLean's entire jewelry collection, including the Hope diamond, from her estate in 1949. Postage accounted for only $2.44 of the total cost. 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. Several references suggest that it was acquired by King George IV of the United Kingdom. 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. 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. Jeweler Harry Winston donated the famous Hope Diamond—the largest-known deep blue diamond in the world—to the Smithsonian Institution in 1958. 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. The diamond was next sold to Selim Habib who put it up for auction in Paris in 1909. They described the color as a fancy dark grayish-blue. We read all incoming messages and will get to yours in the order it was received. 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). The diamond's blue coloration is attributed to trace amounts of boron in the stone. Now, recall, Louis XIV was called the Sun King, and if you have been to Versailles, you know why. 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 strategy was successful. The Hope Diamond, the largest of all blue diamonds, 45.52 carats, exhibited at the National Museum of Natural History. 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. Since its re homing on November 10, 1958, the Hope Diamond has left the Smithsonian only four times for exhibitions or cleaning and restoration work. In 1965 the Hope diamond traveled to South Africa where it was exhibited at the Rand Easter Show in Johannesburg. Cartier had the diamond reset and took it to the U.S. where he left it with Mrs. McLean for a weekend. What a fun game! The rest was for insurance totaling $1 million. Tavernier sold the diamond to King Louis XIV of France in 1668 with 14 other large diamonds and several smaller ones. Uncover the brilliant history of the Hope Diamond and the dark legacy of the world's most celebrated jewel. In 1974 it was removed from its setting and found actually to weigh 45.52 carats. This valuable gem traveled safe and sound to the museum through the US mail. Rosenau and then resold to Pierre Cartier that same year. 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. In 1673 the stone was recut by Sieur Pitau, the court jeweler, resulting in a 67 1/8-carat stone. The Hope Diamond was originally embedded in kimberlite, and was later extracted and refined to form the gem it is today. Drawings of diamonds from The six voyages of John Baptista Tavernier. Well, for diamon… Unfortunately, the catalog does not reveal where or from whom Hope acquired the diamond or how much he paid for it. the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in the Department of Mineral Sciences in Washington D.C The setting is a circlet of smaller white diamonds on a chain of diamonds. In 1984 the diamond was lent to Harry Winston Inc., in New York, as part of the firm's 50th anniversary celebration. Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, Inside the Smithsonian Channel Documentary about the Hope Diamond, The Extraordinary History of the Hope Diamond. The employee paid $145.29 to mail the package. 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. Learn more about this remarkable gem using the tiles below. The Hope Diamond was formed deep within the Earth approximately 1.1 billion years ago. During a week-long looting of the crown jewels in September of 1792, the French Blue diamond was stolen. India. The Hope Diamond has a new case now that rotates as opposed to the one that was in the wall in the Winston Collection room at the Smithsonian. Rated 5 out of 5 by LavaReign from Awesome! 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! Hope Diamond is a Trademark by Smithsonian Institution, the address on file for this trademark is Sib 302, Mrc 012 P.O. 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. 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. You see mirrors and windows and the dazzling use of light in the architecture and the décor. Despite all the facts and figures, Hidden Expedition 6 is nothing near boring. It held one of the most famous gems in America, the Hope Diamond. The necklace chain contains 45 white diamonds. In the royal inventories, its color was described as an intense steely-blue and the stone became known as the "Blue Diamond of the Crown," or the "French Blue." Box 37012, Washington, DC 20013 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. 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. The National Postal Museum has the package it was mailed in. The Hope Diamond contains trace amounts of boron atoms intermixed with the carbon structure, which results in the rare blue color of the diamond. Minutes. 45.52 carats. Smithsonian Hope Diamond serves as some kind of an interactive documentary that is extremely entertaining, it features real facts and artifacts from the Smithsonian; in fact, it supports the institution’s new show, Mystery of the Hope Diamond. Evalyn's surviving kids sold the diamond to Harry Winston. In 1965 the Hope diamond traveled to South Africa where it was exhibited at the Rand Easter Show in Johannesburg. Smithsonian Institution Archives, Image ID: SIA2010-0338 We aim to respond to messages within one business day, but it may take up to 3 business days to respond depending on the request. Sometime later it became the pendant on a diamond necklace as we know it today. The Smithsonian's famous Hope diamond may actually have originated from more than three times deeper in the Earth than other diamonds. The history of the stone which was eventually named the Hope diamond began when the French merchant traveller, Jean Baptiste Tavernier, purchased a 112 3/16-carat diamond. The Hope diamond phosphoresces a strong red color, which will last for several seconds after exposure to short wave ultra-violet light. Date published: 2015-10-15. 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. ... it to the Smithsonian Institution in 1958, where it can be seen today. The sale was made in 1911 with the diamond mounted as a headpiece on a three-tiered circlet of large white diamonds. The Hope Diamond is renowned for its rare color and rich history. At Versailles, you see the glass of chandeliers exquisitely cut to reflect and refract the light. Upon seeing it this weekend, I just felt it didn’t sparkle like a diamond, but I am far from an expert although diamonds are a girl’s best friend. It is classified as a type IIb diamond, which are semiconductive and usually phosphoresce. Still, one can only wonder that the original 112 3/16-carat stone bought by Tavernier was described as "un beau violet" (a beautiful violet). The Smithsonian has primarily displayed the Hope Diamond in the McLean pendant setting since its arrival in the museum's collection. 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. Whitish graining is present. Learn more about this remarkable stone at the Smithsonian’s Hope Diamond website. In 1996 the Hope diamond was again sent to Harry Winston Inc., in New York, this time for cleaning and some minor restoration work. 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. The Hope diamond has left the Smithsonian only four times since it was donated. The necklace chain contains 45 white diamonds. Mrs. McLean's flamboyant ownership of the stone lasted until her death in 1947. In the pendant surrounding the Hope diamond are 16 white diamonds, both pear-shapes and cushion cuts. The 45.5-carat Hope diamond, named for the London banker Thomas Hope, who purchased it in 1830, was apparently formed from it. This diamond, which was most likely from the Kollur mine in Golconda, India, was somewhat triangular in shape and crudely cut. 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. 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. But in the studio of his New York apartment, John Hatleberg is betting it will soon be back. Your message has been sent successfully. 10. The Hope Diamond The Hope diamond’s allegedly cursed reputation is as well known as 46. Drawings of diamonds from The six voyages of John Baptista Tavernier. The Hope Diamond is a 45.52 carat fancy dark grayish-blue diamond currently in the possession of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC. The Hope diamond is on display in the Smithsonian … The Hope Diamond. In the pendant surrounding the Hope diamond are 16 white diamonds, both pear-shapes and cushion cuts. Mystery of the Hope Diamond. The weight of the Hope diamond for many years was reported to be 44.5 carats. Its color was described by Tavernier as a "beautiful violet.". Color: Fancy dark grayish-blue In the pendant surrounding the Hope diamond are 16 white diamonds, both pear-shapes and cushion cuts. 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. In 1812 a deep blue diamond described by John Francillion as weighing 177 grains (4 grains = 1 carat) was documented as being in the possession of London diamond merchant, Daniel Eliason. 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. 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. It did not sell at the auction but was sold soon after to C.H. Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, Inside the Smithsonian Channel Documentary about the Hope Diamond, The Extraordinary History of the Hope Diamond. 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. You're looking at one of the world's most famous gems - renowned for its flawless clarity, rare deep blue color, and evenful history. 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 Yes, mailed in. At his death, in 1830, the king's debts were so enormous that the blue diamond was likely sold through private channels. Image credit: WIkipedia A report in Daily Mail says that the largest rough diamond ever found, weighing 3,106.76 carats, the Cullian was unearthed from a mine in South Africa in 1905. 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. 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. In addition to giving you a solid scholarly version of the action hero, you will collect cards giving you facts about the museum that are truly interesting and add to the story. A triumph of hope over experience, perhaps – or in defiance of the curse – he sent it to the museum by ordinary registered post. It to the Museum through the US mail for several seconds after exposure to short ultra-violet. 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