Interesting Facts about the Famous Hope Diamond

One of the world's most famous, well known gemstones has to be the Hope Diamond. The Hope Diamond, also known as the French Blue, is believed to have been mined from the Kollus Mine, in Golconda, India back in 1668 and was purchased by Jean Baptiste Tavernier and later sold to King Louis XIV of France.

The Hope Diamond was originally a 112+ carat diamond and over the years has been re-cut several times and as of today it weighs 45.52 carats. The rarest of the rare, this diamond is a fantastic beautiful violet blue color. The color is from trace amounts of Boron that are naked to the eye. It also emits a red phosphorescence glow of sorts, after exposure to ultraviolet light. Because of this phenomenon, it is considered by many throughout the years to be cursed.

The Hope Diamond has traveled far in the hundreds of years it has been in existence. It has been owned by many different people in countries all over the world and even considered to be a stolen gemstone too. Its last owner was the famed Harry Winston, who passes away in 1978. He was persuaded to donate the gem in its necklace setting to the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History where it is the 2nd most visited historical piece in the world, after the Mona Lisa.

The setting of the diamond has changed many times over the years. Currently the pendant portion of The Hope Diamond is in a setting that is surrounded by 16 white diamonds that are done in the pear shape and cushion cuts. The necklace itself is made up of 45 white diamonds so it is a weighty, luxurious piece. It is estimated to be valued at $250 million dollars, but it actually considered to be priceless because of its extensive history.