Peeking into the Hope Diamond

Lore from the Gemology Lab | September 5, 2025

There’s a lot of lore in the history of diamonds, gemstones, and jewelry. The Hope Diamond is the world’s largest blue diamond at 45.52 carats, with a chemical composition that’s found in less than .10% of diamonds, a Type IIb, and an extremely rare red phosphorescence (meaning it glows red under UV light). It was discovered in 17th-century India!

No one is sure how it came to be sold to Louis XIV & Marie Antoinette, other than that the gem merchant was a Frenchman, named Jean-Baptiste Tavernier. While the stone is speculated to have originated from the highly esteemed Golconda mine. It’s supposedly cursed. Lore states it was plucked from the eye of a Hindu deity sitting in an Indian temple. The recorded history of the diamond’s holders:

Louis XIV & Marie Antoinette - beheaded via guillotine.

Henry Phillip Hope - fell to gambling debts.

Evelyn Walsh McLean - her son died in a car accident, and her daughter committed suicide.

And when Harry Winston donated it to the Smithsonian, the messenger was hit by a truck.

While lore can certainly be chalked up to exaggeration and a historical game of telephone, such beauty, rarity, and fascination come at a cost.

Whether you believe in lore and legend, the lesson is clear. Always respect the Gods. Yours and the gods of others. For the Gods always see.