Today in History: The Hope Diamond was donated to the Smithsonian Institution by New York diamond merchant Harry Winston on this day (December 10) in 1958. The Hope Diamond is one of the most famous jewels in the world, with ownership records dating back almost four centuries. It is worth between $200–$350 million USD. The Hope Diamond is also said to be under a curse. An article entitled "Hope Diamond Has Brought Trouble To All Who Have Owned It" appeared in the Washington Post in 1908. A New York Times article appeared in 1911 gave a list of supposed cases of ill-fortune:
Jacques Colet bought the Hope Diamond from Simon Frankel and died by suicide.
Prince Ivan Kanitovski bought it from Colet but was killed by Russian revolutionists.
Kanitovski loaned it to Mlle Ladue who was "murdered by her sweetheart."
Simon Mencharides, who had once sold it to the Turkish sultan, was thrown from a precipice along with his wife and young child.
Sultan Hamid gave it to Abu Sabir to "polish" but later Sabir was imprisoned and tortured.
Diamond guardian Kulub Bey was hanged by a mob in Turkey.
A Turkish attendant named Hehver Agha was hanged for having it in his possession.
Tavernier, who brought the stone from India to Paris was "torn to pieces by wild dogs in Constantinople."
King Louis gave it to Madame de Montespan whom later he abandoned.
Nicholas Fouquet, an "Intendant of France", borrowed it temporarily to wear it but was "disgraced and died in prison."
A temporary wearer, Princess de Lamballe, was "torn to pieces by a French mob."
Jeweler William Fals who recut the stone "died a ruined man."
William Fals' son Hendrik stole the jewel from his father and later died by suicide.
Some years (after Hendrik) "it was sold to Francis Deaulieu, who died in misery and want."
The Hope Diamond is also blamed for the beheadings of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette and the rape and mutilation of the Princesse de Lamballe during the French Revolution.
Some however believe that the stories are fabricated to enhance the stone's mystery and appeal, since increased publicity usually raised the gem's value and newsworthiness (though one wonders why anyone would buy a gem that would lead to their demise.)
The legend of the curse includes deaths of numerous other characters who had been previously unknown: Diamond cutter Wilhelm Fals, killed by his son Hendrik, who stole it and later committed suicide; Francois Beaulieu, who received the stone from Hendrik but starved to death after selling it to Eliason; a Russian prince named Kanitowski, who lent it to French actress Lorens Ladue and promptly shot her dead on the stage, and was himself stabbed to death by revolutionaries; Simon Montharides, who sold the diamond, was hurled over a precipice with his family. However, the existence of only a few of these characters has been verified historically, leading researchers to conclude that most of these persons are fictitious.
Other famous cursed jewels are The Black Prince's Ruby, the Koh-i-Noor diamond on Queen Elizabeth's crown ["he who owns this diamond will own the world, but will also know all its misfortunes. Only God or woman can wear it with impunity"], the Delhi Purple Sapphire, the Sancy Diamond, Elizabeth's Taylor's La Peregrina Pearl, and The Black Orlov, The Regent Diamond [which brought Napoleon down].
