The Hope Diamond (previously “Le bleu de France”) is the largest deep blue diamond in the world. The 45.52-carat (9.10 g) fancy deep grayish-blue VS1 diamond was mined in India and has been housed at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History for the past fifty years - a donation from Harry Winston. Although the Hope’s name and reputation precede it, for those with a more superstitious bent, this legendary diamond has much to commend it.

Legend has it that the original form of the Hope Diamond was stolen from the forehead or eye of a sculpted statue of the goddess Sita in a Hindu temple. The temple priests then laid a curse on whoever might possess the missing stone and the “curse” of the Hope Diamond was born.

Legend also has it that the person who stole the diamond, French jeweler Jean Baptiste Tavernier was torn apart by wild dogs on a trip to Russia (after he had sold the diamond). This was the first death attributed to the curse.

King Louis XIV bought the diamond from Tavernier and it passed to the hands of his great-grandson King Louis XV. Both kings had the stone re-cut. 

The grandson of King Louis XV and husband of Marie Antoinette, King Louis XVI, then inherited the diamond. Both he and his wife were beheaded during the French Revolution – the popular culprit, the curse of the Hope Diamond. Ironically, neither King Louis XIV nor King Louis XV seem to have been afflicted by this curse. Perhaps the curse of extravagant living was the true curse. Try proving it though.

The diamond passed through the hands of laymen and royalty before settling in the possession of Henry Philip Hope in 1839, from whom the Hope diamond has taken its name. Upon the death of Henry Philip Hope, the diamond passed to his nephew Henry Thomas Hope who died in 1862 at the age of 54. Hope’s widow kept the stone and upon her passing control of the Hope Diamond passed to her grandson, Lord Francis Hope.

Gambling and a lavish lifestyle resulted in Francis Hope petitioning the court for permission to sell the Hope Diamond. Hope’s siblings opposed selling the diamond. The court finally acceded to Francis’ request after a second appeal. Three generations of Hopes managed to avoid the curse and it was more likely Francis Hope’s gambling that led to his demise; however what caused him to gamble?

The Hope Diamond eventually found its way into the hands of Evalyn Walsh McLean. Perhaps the curse of the Hope Diamond which had apparently laid dormant for a lengthy period took her its pent up curses on McLean. Her first born son died in a car crash at the age of nine and her daughter committed suicide at age 25. Also, McLean's husband was declared insane and confined to a mental institution until his death in 1941. Too many coincidences for one person you say? You will find many who agree with you.

Diamond merchant, Harry Winston, purchased the Hope Diamond in 1949 from McLean’s estate and donated it to the Smithsonian on September 10th 1958. Perhaps he donated it to rid himself of the curse, but then why buy the diamond in the first place?

One thing is certain, for those who are superstitious; the Hope Diamond provides plenty of food for thought. The Smithsonian attracts seven million visitors a year. I wonder how many more would visit if the Hope Diamond was not cursed?

Read more about the new design of the Hope diamond