Emitations is proud to offer an exclusive new piece: a gorgeous replica of the incredibly famous Hope Diamond! Surrounded by mystery and myth, this iconic gem has been revered since the days of Louis XIV. Our stunning CZ replica version has all of the glam of the original – but without the supposed curse that haunts the Hope Diamond.

Most agree that the diamond was originally found by Jean Baptiste Tavernier, a French merchant who traveled through India. Some legends claim that he stole it from an ancient Hindu idol, who then cursed anyone who touched his pilfered treasure. The diamond traveled through history from there: sometimes gifted, sometimes stolen, and always a coveted item.

It has been noted as the source of all kinds of bad luck – the beheading of King Louis XVI and his wife Marie Antoinette, the gambling debts of Britain’s King George IV, and the lonely unmarried life of Henry Phillip Hope, who inherited the blue diamond in the early 1800s. Nearly every member of the Hope family is rumored to have died in poverty, which led to the sale of the (officially titled) Hope Diamond in 1901.

Shortly thereafter, the famous jeweler Pierre Cartier found a potential buyer in Mrs. Evalyn Walsh McLean. She reportedly believed that objects considered “bad luck” always gave her extra goodluck, so Cartier made sure to embellish the history of the haunted Hope Diamond. Despite her confidence, she was struck by one tragedy after another throughout the rest of her years.

Evalyn’s first born son died in a car crash when he was nine years old, her 25 year old daughter committed suicide, and her husband was institutionalized and declared legally insane. Despite these facts, Evalyn kept her faith in the Hope Diamond, and she wanted it to stay in the family. Unfortunately, like many of the diamond’s other owners, she was impoverished at the time of her death. The diamond was sold again, to pay off her debts, and this time famed jeweler Harry Winston took ownership.

In 1958, Winston donated the necklace to the Smithsonian, where it instantly became a premier exhibit. Visitors from around the world can still visit it today, albeit from behind a solid, bulletproof glass safe. It still generates plenty of pop culture references – take, for instance, the infamous “Coeur de la Mer” necklace from Titanic. The real Hope Diamond was never on board the fated ship (though it does share a similar supposed curse), but the character of Rose was nonetheless given a “heart of the ocean” necklace that was said to be created from the original blue diamond.

No one is fortune (or unfortunate!) enough to wear the Hope Diamond now, but luckily Emitations.com now offers a dazzling faux version! Don’t forget to shop the matching earrings as well…

Tags: Blue Diamond of the Crown, Couer de la Mer, Heart of the Ocean Necklace, Hope Diamond, Hope Diamond Necklace, Titanic Necklace

This entry was posted on Friday, November 16th, 2007 at 10:43 pm and is filed under Hope Diamond, Jewelry, Kate Winslet, Movies & TV. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.