The Hope Diamond
The history of the Hope diamond, believed to be the worlds largest deep blue diamond, is full of twists. The 112 carat stone that became the Hope beganwhen the French merchant traveler, Jean Baptiste Tavernier purchase the stone from the Kollur mine in Golconda, India, in the 17th century. Its color was described by Tavernier as a beautiful violet.
The stone was sold to King Louis XIV of France in 1668 with 14 other large diamonds and several smaller ones. In 1673 the stone was recut by the court jeweler resulting in a 67-carat stone. Because of its intense steely-blue, it was known as the Blue Diamond of the Crown or the French Blue.
In 1749, King Louis XV had the stone reset and during the looting in 1792 the French Blue diamond was stolen.
The blue diamond resurfaced in London by 1813 and was owned by jeweler Daniel Eliason . Strong evidence showed that the stone was the recut French Blue and the same stone known today as the Hope Diamond. The blue diamond that surfaced in London was estimated at 44 carat. There was evidence that it was acquired by King George IV of England, and upon King Georges death, the diamond was sold to...