Then, it traded hands several times until it was bought in 1912 by Evalyn Walsh McLean, a Washington, D.C socialite, who owned it until her death in 1947.
Following the death of Lord Hope and much litigation, the stone is passed on to Hope's nephew Henry Thomas Hope. Evalyn Walsh is born. To pay his debts, Lord Henry Thomas Hope sells the Hope Diamond to Simon Frankel, a New York jeweler, for $148,000.
It is currently housed in the National Gem and Mineral collection at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.
In 1958, Harry Winston donated the gem to the Smithsonian Institution in New York. It is now on display in the National Museum of Natural History with other large diamonds. The diamond has gone through various settings with remarkably strong phosphorescence and beautiful violet color while on display.
Since its discovery in India in 1642, the infamous diamond was stolen at least twice in its long history and has changed hands several times, leaving a trail of unfortunate fate and supposedly bad luck for almost every owner.
The Hope Diamond was not on the Titanic when it sank; it was owned by Washington socialite, Mrs Evelyn McLean, who didn't even set sail on the infamous ship. When she died in 1947, it was sold to pay off her debts. The precious stone has its own narrative that is worthy of a film in itself.
The diamond is, in fact, a fictional diamond. There never was a real version of this remarkable blue diamond in existence. However, a lot of details from this diamond necklace is similar to those from the Hope Diamond. The Hope Diamond was owned by Louis XIV.
Then, it traded hands several times until it was bought in 1912 by Evalyn Walsh McLean, a Washington, D.C socialite, who owned it until her death in 1947. Harry Winston owned it for the next eleven years until he donated the Hope Diamond to the Smithsonian Institution in 1958. Now, the gem belongs to all Americans.
Following the death of Henry Philip Hope in 1839, and after much litigation, the diamond passed to his nephew Henry Thomas Hope and ultimately to the nephew's grandson Lord Francis Hope.
Elizabeth Taylor was known for her many expensive jewels, most of which were given to her by her then-husband Richard Burton, but the Hope Diamond was never one of them.
The Hope Diamond
Arguably the most famous and most cursed precious gemstone in history, this 45.52-carat sparkler has a long and storied past. The Hope Diamond has been blamed for a laundry list of tragedies, including but not limited to: beatings, stabbings, murder, insanity, and suicide.
For more than a century, historians have debat- ed the existence of “sister” stones to the Hope diamond, most notably the Brunswick Blue and the Pirie diamonds. The recent discovery of a lead cast of the French Blue, the Hope's precur- sor, has provided a more accurate model of that diamond, which disappeared in 1792.
At more than 187 carats, the Foxfire Diamond is more than four times bigger than the gallery's famous Hope Diamond. More than 100 million people have visited the Hope Diamond, a blue stone cut into a 45.52 carat heart-shaped diamond, which Harry Winston donated to the Smithsonian in 1958, the museum says.
The most valuable diamond in the world is Koh-i-Noor, also spelled Koh-i-Nur and Kohinoor. The diamond is also called the Mountain of Light diamond, and it's known as one of the largest cut diamonds, weighing a whopping 105.6 carats. Koh-i-Noor is a colorless diamond and features an oval brilliant cut.
Titanic: Heart of the Ocean Necklace ($500,750,000)
At the end of the film, it is tossed into the ocean by Rose. While the studio fashioned the prop for about $9,400, the 56-carat heart-shaped blue diamond in white gold and a colorless diamond frame would have been worth more than $500 million had it been real.
Upon her death, the Hope Diamond was found in a shoebox under her bed. In 1949, Harry Winston purchased the diamond from Mrs. McLean's estate and in 1958, donated it to the Smithsonian Institution. Despite its $350 million value, Winston chose to send the diamond via registered mail.
For more than a century, historians have debated the existence of “sister” stones to the Hope diamond, most notably the Brunswick Blue and the Pirie diamonds. The recent discovery of a lead cast of the French Blue, the Hope's precursor, has provided a more accurate model of that diamond, which disappeared in 1792.
The Current Value Of The Hope Diamond
The largest blue diamond in the world is the famous Hope Diamond. This massive blue diamond weighs 45.52 carats and is currently valued at over \$250 million.
THE HOPE DIAMOND, 1910
Acquired by Sir Hope, it was bought in 1910 by Cartier who turned it into a pendant. Evalyn Walsh McLean then became the owner. It is now part of the Smithsonian Institution collections in Washington.
Dr. Henry Cheng Kar-Shun, chairman of the jeweler Chow Tai Fook bought the remarkable stone for HK$553 million.
Thirteen People Who Fell Victim To The Hope Diamond Curse.
The most expensive diamond in the world is owned by the British Royal Crown. The Kohinoor gem currently resides at the HM Tower of London where it is displayed as the central diamond of the Queen Mother's Crown.
The short answer is no – Jack and Rose were not real people on board the Titanic, but fictional characters created especially for the film by James Cameron. The inspiration for Rose was actually an American artist who had nothing to do with the story of the Titanic sinking: Beatrice Wood.
By throwing the necklace into the Atlantic ocean, Rose finally lets go, because she is ready to make peace with Jack and the other Titanic victims; she is finally ready to move on.
Queensmith concluded that The Heart of the Ocean necklace, worn by Kate Winslet's character in Titanic, Rose DeWitt Bukater, was the most valuable piece in Hollywood history. Its value was pegged at $640,459,047.