Hope Diamond – Harry & Co Jewellery

Classification and Physical Properties of the Hope Diamond

The Hope Diamond is a large, 45.52-carat diamond.
It is studded in a pendant called the Toison d'or.
It is currently housed in the National Gem and Mineral collection at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.
The diamond is classified as a type IIb diamond.
The Hope Diamond has been described as the most famous diamond in the world.
The diamond weighs 45.52 carats.
It is pear-shaped, comparable in size and shape to a pigeon egg or a walnut.
The color of the diamond is described as a fancy dark greyish-blue or dark blue.
The stone exhibits a red phosphorescence under ultraviolet light.
Its clarity is determined to be VS1, with whitish graining present.

History and Geological Beginnings of the Hope Diamond

The Hope Diamond was formed approximately 1.1 billion years ago.
It was originally embedded in kimberlite and later extracted and refined.
The diamond originated in the Kollur mine in India in the 17th century.
French gem merchant Jean-Baptiste Tavernier purchased it in 1666.
It has changed hands numerous times before being donated to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.
The Hope Diamond was formed deep within the Earth when carbon atoms formed strong bonds.
The diamond contains trace amounts of boron atoms, resulting in its rare blue color.
The gem provides vital insights into the formation of diamonds.
The Hope Diamond is not only a historic gem but also a rare scientific specimen.
The diamond is believed to have originated in the Kollur mine in India.
Jean-Baptiste Tavernier obtained the gem in India in 1666.

Transformation and Ownership of the French Blue Diamond

The French Blue diamond was stolen just as the statute of limitations for the crime had taken effect.
There were questions about whether the diamond in Great Britain was the same one that belonged to the French kings.
Scientific investigation in 2008 confirmed that the Hope Diamond and the diamond owned by the kings of France were the same.
It is speculated that George IV of the United Kingdom may have acquired the diamond, possibly with the help of his wife Caroline of Brunswick.
The Hope Diamond was acquired by Thomas Hope, a London banker, for either $65,000 or $90,000.
Thomas Hope's brother, Henry Philip Hope, published a catalog of his gem collection in 1839, which included the Hope Diamond.
The stone was set in a medallion surrounded by smaller white diamonds and came to be known as the Hope Diamond.
Henry Thomas Hope, the oldest nephew of Henry Philip Hope, received the Hope Diamond as part of his inheritance.
Anne Adele, wife of Henry Thomas Hope, inherited the Hope Diamond upon his death.
She entrusted the diamond to her younger son, Henry Francis Pelham-Clinton, on the condition that he add the name Hope to his own surnames.
Lord Francis Hope, as he was now known, had only a life interest in the diamond and could not sell it without court permission.
Lord Francis Hope eventually had to sell the diamond due to financial troubles and permission was granted by the court.
Lord Francis Hope sold the diamond to Adolph Weil, a London jewel merchant, for £29,000.
Weil then sold the diamond to diamond dealer Simon Frankel, who took it to New York.
The diamond remained in the possession of the Frankel jewelry firm during the years 1902-1907.
Frankel sold the diamond to Salomon or Selim Habib, a wealthy Turkish diamond collector.
The stone was reportedly sold on behalf of Sultan Abdulhamid of the Ottoman Empire.
Accounts vary about the ownership of the diamond during the years 1902-1907, with some suggesting it remained with the Frankel jewelry firm.
The Frankel business faced financial difficulties during the depression of 1907 and referred to the diamond as the 'hoodoo diamond.'
In 1908, the diamond was sold by Frankel to Salomon or Selim Habib for $400,000.
There were reports of ill-fortune for several owners of the diamond during this time.
The diamond was included in an auction of Habib's collection on June 24, 1909.

The French Blue and its Transformation into the Hope Diamond

Diamond discovered during one of five voyages to India between 1640 and 1667
Sold to King Louis XIV of France for 220,000 livres in 1669
Theory suggests patent of nobility granted to Tavernier was part of the payment
Controversy regarding the actual weight of the stone, possibly 115.28 metric carats
Diamond became known as the French Blue
Louis XIV commissioned the court jeweler to recut the Tavernier Blue in 1678
Resulted in a 67.125-carat stone known as the Blue Diamond of the Crown of France
Set in a cravat-pin worn by the king during ceremonies
Louis XV had the French Blue set into a jeweled pendant for the Order of the Golden Fleece
Pendant included a red spinel and numerous painted diamonds
In 1792, thieves broke into the Royal Storehouse and stole most of the Crown Jewels
French Blue was not recovered and disappeared from history
Marie Antoinette had never worn the Golden Fleece pendant
Likely scenario is that the French Blue was smuggled to London
French Blue was recut during this period, with the largest remaining piece becoming the Hope Diamond
One report suggests the cut of the French Blue was a butchered job
Confirmation that the Hope Diamond was cut from the French Blue came from a rediscovered leaden model
The French Blue was recut, resulting in the loss of its original bar

Hope Diamond Data Sources

Reference	URL
Glossary	https://harryandcojewellery.com.au/blogs/glossary/hope-diamond
Wikipedia	http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hope_Diamond
Wikidata	https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q640037
Knowledge Graph	https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/0f205