| Of all the well-known big diamonds the most | | | | was purchased by the McLean family and soon |
| infamous is the Hope Diamond, a blue colored | | | | after, their daughter committed suicide and |
| beauty that was dubbed The Killing Stone. | | | | their nine-year-old son died in a car |
| | | | accident. Mr. McLean got really depressed and |
| According to the legend the hope was placed | | | | died months later in a mental institution in |
| in front of a Buddha statue when it was | | | | 1941. Evalyn McLean had wanted her jewelry to |
| stolen by a warrior, Tavernier, and a curse | | | | go to her grandchildren. But in 1949, two |
| that foretold bad luck and death befell on | | | | years after her death, her jewelry was put on |
| the stone ever since. For this transgression, | | | | sale in order to settle debts from her |
| the legend says, Tavernier was torn apart by | | | | estate. |
| wild dogs on a trip to Russia just after he | | | | |
| had sold the diamond. This was the first | | | | When the Hope diamond went on sale in 1949, |
| horrible death attributed to the curse. But | | | | it was bought by a famous New York jeweler: |
| many others would follow | | | | Harry Winston. For almost a decade, Winston |
| | | | offered the diamond on numerous occasions to |
| The businessman who had acquired the stone | | | | be worn at balls to raise money for charity. |
| sold it to king Louis XV. Soon after that, | | | | |
| the businessman got poor, contracted a | | | | Then, on the 10th of November of 1958, this |
| mysterious disease and died suffering | | | | magnificent blue diamond traveled in a plain |
| terrible convulsions. | | | | brown box by registered mail and was met by |
| | | | an eager group of people at the Smithsonian |
| When Louis XV died, his grandson, Louis XVI, | | | | Institute. Some believe that Winston donated |
| became king with Marie Antoinette as his | | | | the Hope diamond to rid himself of the curse. |
| queen. According to the legend, Marie | | | | |
| Antoinette and Louis XVI were beheaded during | | | | In 2003, the Hope was taken to a museum |
| the French Revolution because of the blue | | | | laboratory for testing. It was only the |
| diamond's curse. | | | | second time in 20 years the Hope has been |
| | | | removed from its necklace setting. They |
| After the French Revolution, the diamond was | | | | focused an ultraviolet beam on the stone. |
| hidden in a government building, where it was | | | | Then turned off the beam and, in pitch dark, |
| stolen in 1791. Six years later, the thieves | | | | the diamond glowed bright orange-amber (most |
| were condemned to the death penalty. | | | | blue diamonds phosphoresce light blue.) It's |
| | | | that strong color, which lasts for several |
| In 1830, Francis Hope bought the huge blue | | | | seconds, that intrigues scientists. Some |
| diamond in an auction for 90.000 pounds and | | | | speculate it's related to chemical impurities |
| gave the stone his name. Francis Hope, who | | | | that give its blue color. What causes the gem |
| was a member of the parliament, soon died a | | | | to fluoresce remains a mystery. But since the |
| sudden, unexplained death. Soon after his | | | | Hope Diamond has inspired many legends, some |
| demise, his widow was burned to death in | | | | say that the glowing color reflects the blood |
| their mansion. After receiving the stone, | | | | of royalty spilled during the French |
| Francis Hopes heir and nephew, Thomas, went | | | | Revolution and the trail of death and bad |
| bankrupted and was abandoned by his wife. | | | | luck that followed the stone over the |
| | | | centuries. |
| Thomas got rid of the diamond, which was | | | | |
| purchased by the Russian prince Iva | | | | Aside from its bad reputation, this diamond |
| Kitanovski who gave it to a ballerina. The | | | | has been nothing but good luck for the |
| night she wore it for the first time she was | | | | Smithsonian Museum. After Winstons donation, |
| shot and killed. | | | | attendance has jumped and it has encourage |
| | | | others to donate, helping the museum to build |
| After a series of tragedies the stone found | | | | its world-class gem collection. |
| itself in the hands of Sultan Abdul Mamid II, | | | | |
| who was forced to resign in favor of his | | | | So dont worry if you decide to visit it, the |
| brother and took the Hope along with other | | | | Hopes negative magnetic energy won't pass |
| personal things to exile. | | | | through the thick crystal glass that guards |
| | | | this mystical, largest deep blue diamond in |
| In the beginning of the 20th century the Hope | | | | the world. |