The Curse of the Hope Diamond
The Curse Behind The Hope Diamond
Diamonds have been a source of wealth and dispute for centuries. “When humankind first discovered the diamond is not known.” ("ECP" 685) Diamonds were originally mined from riverbeds in India, and through trade-routes, diamonds reached the kingdoms and empires of Europe and Asia. One diamond in particular has a most colorful history and has travelled across continents into the hands of Sultans, King Louis XIV, and finally to the Smithsonian in America where it is now on display for the public eye. This diamond has been known as the Hope Diamond, the French Blue, and Tavernier Blue throughout time. Today the Hope Diamond is well known for its curse that has touched every hand possessing the diamond.
This particular diamond is a rare brilliant blue. The Indians associated the color “blue with the Hindu god of death, Yama” (Kurin 55). The belief that blue diamonds should be avoided may have been why it was so easy for such a large blue diamond to travel west out of the hands of the Indians. The Hope Diamond was named after Lord Francis Hope but was first discovered by Jean-Baptiste Tavernier. Tavernier was an explorer who ventured from France to India in search of diamonds. It is believed that Tavernier robbed a large blue diamond off a Hindu idol (statue) of Sita. After years of misfortune, living a rough traveler’s life, Tavernier returned to France and by the request of King Louis XIV, Tavernier told his tales and sold many diamonds to the king, including the stone that would become the Hope Diamond. King Louis XIV had his diamond cutters refine the blue stone into a smaller more beautiful diamond. It is told that those who come into possession of this Diamond would be cursed till death. Many of the owners in history have suffered misfortunes which have contributed to the tale of the curse of the Hope Diamond.
Tavernier was born right after King Henry IV issued the Edict of Nantes, where Protestants gained
Diamonds have been a source of wealth and dispute for centuries. “When humankind first discovered the diamond is not known.” ("ECP" 685) Diamonds were originally mined from riverbeds in India, and through trade-routes, diamonds reached the kingdoms and empires of Europe and Asia. One diamond in particular has a most colorful history and has travelled across continents into the hands of Sultans, King Louis XIV, and finally to the Smithsonian in America where it is now on display for the public eye. This diamond has been known as the Hope Diamond, the French Blue, and Tavernier Blue throughout time. Today the Hope Diamond is well known for its curse that has touched every hand possessing the diamond.
This particular diamond is a rare brilliant blue. The Indians associated the color “blue with the Hindu god of death, Yama” (Kurin 55). The belief that blue diamonds should be avoided may have been why it was so easy for such a large blue diamond to travel west out of the hands of the Indians. The Hope Diamond was named after Lord Francis Hope but was first discovered by Jean-Baptiste Tavernier. Tavernier was an explorer who ventured from France to India in search of diamonds. It is believed that Tavernier robbed a large blue diamond off a Hindu idol (statue) of Sita. After years of misfortune, living a rough traveler’s life, Tavernier returned to France and by the request of King Louis XIV, Tavernier told his tales and sold many diamonds to the king, including the stone that would become the Hope Diamond. King Louis XIV had his diamond cutters refine the blue stone into a smaller more beautiful diamond. It is told that those who come into possession of this Diamond would be cursed till death. Many of the owners in history have suffered misfortunes which have contributed to the tale of the curse of the Hope Diamond.
Tavernier was born right after King Henry IV issued the Edict of Nantes, where Protestants gained
Bibliography: Kurin, Richard. Hope Diamond: The Legend of a Cursed Gem. 1st. New York: HarperCollins, 2006. Karukstis, Kerry. Chemistry Connections: The Chemical Basis of Everyday Phenomena. Academic Press, 2003. Pages 32-36 In this book the author does not directly address the Hope Diamond Oldershaw, Cally. Firefly Guide to Gems. Firefly Books, 2004. Pages 33-34 This reference guide book by Oldershaw tells the stories and origins of many famous diamonds around the world Ramsden, E.N.. A-Level Chemistry. Nelson Thornes, 2000. Page 83 In this chemistry book there is an opening in one of the chapters about diamonds and specifically the Hope Diamond Rubin, Beth. Frommer 's Washington D.C. with Kids. Frommer 's, 2006. Page 133 In Frommer’s guide there is a clip within the guide about the Hope Diamond under a Fun Fact section Velez, Angel. "Diamond Films."Encyclopedia of Chemica Processing. 2006. Pages 685-687 In this encyclopedia there is a section within a chapter about the history of diamonds "Hope Diamond." Wikipedia. 2007. 7 Apr 2008 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hope_diamond>.