How Much is the Hope Diamond Worth Today? (History Included) (2024)

FAQs

How much is the Hope Diamond currently worth? ›

THE HOPE DIAMOND — $200-$250 MILLION

This 45.52 carat Fancy Dark Gray-Blue antique cushion cut diamond was later stolen during a crown jewel looting in 1791 but resurfaced in London in 1839.

The history of the stone which was eventually named the Hope Diamond began when the French merchant traveler, Jean Baptiste Tavernier, purchased a 112 3/16-carat diamond. This diamond, which was most likely from the Kollur mine in Golconda, India, was somewhat triangular in shape and crudely cut.

Pierre Cartier sold the Hope Diamond to Ned and Evalyn Walsh McLean for $180,000.

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.

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.

Once that was cleared up, Evalyn McLean wore the diamond constantly. According to one story, it took a lot of persuading by Mrs. McLean's doctor to get her to take off the necklace even for a goiter operation. Though McLean wore the Hope diamond as a good luck charm, others saw the curse strike her too.

as part of the firm's 50th anniversary celebration. After extensive remodeling of the display area, the Hope Diamond is exhibited in the new Harry Winston Room in the Hall of Geology, Gems and Minerals of the Natural History Museum of the Smithsonian Institution.

At 45.52 carats, it's the largest blue diamond known to exist, and that's after undergoing numerous recuts. In its original form, it was recorded as being 112 carats.

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.

Who was the last person to wear the Hope Diamond? ›

Pierre Cartier designed the current setting for the Hope in 1910 to be worn as both a necklace and a bandeau, or head ornament. 9. The last famous person to wear the Hope? Actress Michelle Pfeiffer, who put it on for Life magazine in 1996 1995.

The unique blue color of the Hope diamond is the main reason why most people believe it to be priceless. The thought behind this belief goes something like this: diamonds are almost always colorless stones which, on very rare occasions, can be found in nature to have a color; like blue, in the case of the Hope.

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.

The diamond necklace that is seen in the Titanic is not a real diamond. It is cubic zirconia set in white gold. Making this piece of movie history cost around $10.000. As you can imagine, that is not even close to the value of a 'real' Heart of the Ocean.

Mrs. McLean's heirs sold it to Harry Winston, who in turn donated it to the Smithsonian Institution. Today the Hope Diamond is in the permanent collection at the Smithsonian in the National Museum of Natural History, where millions of people visit it each year.

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 diamond was stolen during the French revolution and re-cut. Wilhelm Fals was a Dutch jeweller who was responsible for cutting the 115-carat diamond to the 45-carat Blue Hope Diamond we see today.

The magnificent Cullinan Diamond – the largest diamond ever found- is incorporated into the Crown Jewels. The stone was discovered near Pretoria in South Africa in 1905, and is named after the chairman of the mining company, Thomas Cullinan.

Rose is a 17-year-old girl, originally from Philadelphia, who is forced into an engagement to 30-year-old Cal Hockley so she and her mother, Ruth, can maintain their high-class status after her father's death had left the family debt-ridden.

In reality, the necklace was a stunning sapphire surrounded by diamonds and aptly named the Love of the Sea. The elegant gem belonged to nineteen year-old Kate Florence Phillips whose paramour Henry Samuel Morley, twenty years her senior (and Kate's boss), bestowed the necklace upon her as token of his love.

Where is the necklace from Titanic? ›

The necklace bought under the condition that Celine Dion would wear it to the 1998 Academy Awards during her performance of Titanic theme song My Heart Will Go On. This piece was apparently later donated to the Charlestown Shipwreck & Heritage Centre in Cornwall, England, where it went on display.

Over its 350-year history, the Hope Diamond has become one of the most famous cursed diamonds. After being stolen and recut, it is said to have contributed to the downfall and death of its owners. Discovered in India in 1673, it was originally a 115-carat blue diamond.

A bail is soldered to the pendant where Mrs. McLean would often attach other diamonds including the McLean Diamond and the Star of the East. The necklace chain contains 45 white diamonds.

The Hope Diamond is steeped in history. Appearing a brilliant blue to the naked eye, under ultraviolet light it looks a fluorescent red. It is currently on display in the Smithsonian Natural History museum in Washington, USA and is protected by three inches of bullet-proof glass in the Harry Winston room.

1. Mountain of Light Diamond (Koh-I-Noor): Priceless. Thought to be the most expensive diamond in the world, the Koh-I-Noor is also known as The Mountain of Light. Weighing 105.6 carats, this colorless gemstone is now part of the British Crown Jewels.

The Hope Diamond — $250 million

The most expensive and perhaps the most famous jewel in the world is a 45.52 carat blue stone known as the Hope Diamond.

Have you ever wished you could see the ship up close and in person? Well, now you can. That's right — you can dive to the depths of the ocean and see the Titanic for yourself. OceanGate Expeditions, a company made up of undersea explorers, scientists, and filmmakers, offers the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

It is said to originally be owned by Louis XVI and shortly after his execution in 1793, the diamond disappeared and was recut into a heart-like shape, known as "The Heart of the Ocean." Caledon Hockley purchased the diamond for his fiancée, Rose and presented it to her.

While the Heart of the Ocean was never actually lost, there were other pieces of jewelry that were lost onboard the Titanic. One such piece of jewelry is a locket that was found onboard the ocean liner.

In other words, they have not been altered or tampered with after they were discovered. Raw diamonds look like transparent stones with yellowish or brownish tints. There are some that are colorless but these are rare.

Why does the Hope Diamond glow red? ›

One aspect of this famous diamond that most people do not get to see is its fiery red phosphorescence that results from exposure to ultraviolet light, which continues for more than a minute.

The Hope Diamond is formally donated to the Smithsonian by Harry Winston, a New York gem merchant. The stone was acquired by Winston in 1949 from the estate of Mrs. Evalyn Walsh McLean, who received it from her husband, Edward B. McLean, in 1911.

A blue sapphire ring mounted in a setting surrounded by 14 diamonds, and a gold locket were just two pieces found among the wreckage.

First-class berths would cost $4,591, second-class would be $1,834, and third-class accommodations $1,071. A calculated estimation of the Titanic concludes that the total number of first-class travelers was 324.

Joseph Asscher & Co. Cullinan produced stones of various cuts and sizes, the largest of which is named Cullinan I or the Great Star of Africa, and at 530.4 carats (106.08 g) (3.74 ounces) it is the largest clear cut diamond in the world. The stone is mounted in the head of the Sovereign's Sceptre with Cross.

Deep-blue diamonds rarely exceed a few carats in size, and the Hope Diamond is, in fact, the largest such diamond known.

You can see the Hope Diamond at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History in the Harry Winston Gallery.

Evalyn McLean (née Walsh; August 1, 1886 – April 26, 1947) was an American mining heiress and socialite, famous for reputedly being the last private owner of the 45-carat (9.0 g) Hope Diamond (which was bought in 1911 for US$180,000 from Pierre Cartier), as well as another famous diamond, the 94-carat (18.8 g) Star of ...

Yes, it was purchased by Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton in 1969.

Is there a lost twin to the Hope Diamond? ›

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 Hope Diamond Was Stolen

During the Reign of Terror, the crown jewels (including the blue diamond) were taken from the royal couple after they attempted to flee France in 1791. The jewels were placed in the royal storehouse known as the Garde-Meuble de la Couronne, but were not well guarded.

Though it seemed like a pretty piece of fiction created by James Cameron, it turns out that there was a diamond and sapphire necklace on board that fatal night, given to a young girl, Kate Florence Phillips, 20, by her married paramour, Henry Samuel Morley, 40.

The first figure to acquire the diamond, purchasing it from Tavernier in 1668, was King Louis XIV of France. As an unbelievably wealthy and extravagant ruler, Louis had the diamond recut and made into one of his crown jewels. Upon Louis's death, the diamond passed to his son and grandson, finally settling on Louis XVI.

The Hope diamond, a flawless 45-plus gem of rare steel-blue color, was donated to the Smithsonian Institution in 1958 by New York City jeweler Harry Winston, and is the centerpiece of the Hall of Gems at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History.

In 2011, the year of her death, her personal collection sold for almost £145million through Christie's auction. From her marriages, the actress had four children and 10 grandchildren. It is believed that her trust passed the majority of her assets to her children, grandchildren as well as to various charities.

The magnificent Cullinan Diamond – the largest diamond ever found- is incorporated into the Crown Jewels. The stone was discovered near Pretoria in South Africa in 1905, and is named after the chairman of the mining company, Thomas Cullinan.

Kohinoor is the most expensive diamond in the world. As per reports, the oval 109 carat diamond weighs 21.6 grams and is the main diamond of the British Crown. Its origin is traced back to India with Queen Elizabeth II being the current owner of the diamond. Due to its uniqueness, the diamond is said to be priceless.