There are dozens of large diamonds that have been awarded their own name. And the history of each is accompanied by a legend. One of the most famous huge blue diamonds is the Hope diamond. He was named after one of the owners of this mineral. Until now, it has not been possible to fully declassify where it was mined, the name of the jeweler who gave it a similar shape. One version says that this stone adorned the statue of the goddess Sita in India. Passing through many hands, the Hope diamond nourished negative energy, bringing only misfortune.
What kind of stone?
Hope Crystal in different periods of history was called peculiar epithets. These are "Blue Tavernier or the Devil", "Blue Hope or the Diamond of the French Crown", "Fatal Diamond". The Hope diamond is over 44 carats. The mineral has a very unusual color shade (sky blue, turning to a pronounced ultramarine tone). With its beauty and preciousness, it attracts the attention of rich people and thieves. He was repeatedly kidnapped and sold for fabulous sums.
Today, this ominous mineral belongs to the collection of the Smithsonian American Institution Museum. This is the most famous diamond in the New World.
Stone properties
The Hope Diamond is one of the largest diamonds in the world. Its mass is estimated at 45,52 carats, and its dimensions are 25,60 × 21,78 × 12,00 mm.
The chemical data of the mineral are as follows:
- impurities are present in the molecule, endowing the mineral with unique properties;
- diamond has many cubic cells, they tightly bind carbon atoms together with impurities;
- the stone is uniquely hard;
- when rays of the X-ray spectrum hit the gem, it begins to emit different colors;
- with the help of this crystal, radiation is determined.
Physical properties of this stone:
- sufficiently high refractive indices of light and its scattering, which creates the effect of overflows in the sun's rays;
- the density of diamond is higher than that of all other natural materials available to mankind;
- the mineral is not amenable to the action of acids, however, some alkalis can damage it;
- melting point reaches 3000 at a pressure of 11 hPa;
- the burning temperature of the stone is 850–1000°.
Magic
Hope Diamond is credited with powerful healing powers for the body and soul, and is also able to enhance the influence of other minerals. However, the nugget has a twofold effect. It can make a person happy or sad. The diamond helps to strengthen all energy centers, gives stamina, provides happiness and good luck in all areas of activity, and protects from evil forces. The owner of such a diamond becomes sociable and positive.
It is believed that the stone contributes to these qualities when given as a gift or passed down from generation to generation. But if the mineral is stolen (or acquired dishonestly) - it creates a destructive force. During its existence, the Hope diamond was repeatedly stolen, so the mineral is associated more with negative power.
Healing
The healing properties of the mineral have been known for a long time. The stone is capable of:
- relieve fatigue;
- reduce high temperature
- suppress infections;
- eliminate insomnia;
- prevent diseases of the stomach, kidneys, liver, skin and nervous system.
Yogis are sure that the diamond energy is quite subtle, but powerful, allowing its vibration to improve the functioning of the heart, brain and the entire subtle (etheric) body.
Interesting facts from the history
The first victim of the diamond was the mistress of the French king. She, after receiving the stone as a gift, immediately became disgusted with Louis. She was expelled from the environment, and the mineral returned to its place in the attire of the ruler. But seven months later he died, after which misfortunes began to haunt the entire royal dynasty.
The fate of the next owners of the diamond is also unenviable. The royal couple were executed. Later, the treasury of France was plundered, but the ill-fated jewel was preserved. The stone came from a jeweler from the Netherlands. The son stole it from his father, after which he died. Pangs of conscience so tortured the young man that he drowned himself.
1820 was marked by the acquisition of the famous gem by the English king George IV. He was distinguished by his beauty and many talents. He was fluent in almost all languages of European countries, sang well, knew how to play the piano. But having got himself a terrible diamond, the king instantly changed. Around the clock, he began to indulge in drunkenness and unbridled orgies. Contemporaries noted visible signs that the king had gone mad. When George IV died, the diamond was given to the banker Hope almost free of charge. It was his name that was assigned to this sinister treasure. The diamond also brought many misfortunes to the Hope family - the banker was poisoned, his heirs quickly went bankrupt.
The fatal diamond was partially noted in Russian history. When the stone was broken by the jeweler Pitot, one of the particles was cut and then sent to Russia. This diamond ended up in the ring of the wife of Paul I, Maria Feodorovna. The emperor ended his reign prematurely, and Maria secured the title of Empress Dowager for a long time. Now this fragment of the famous "Hope" represents the collection of the Diamond Fund.
Although it is worth mentioning that directly "Hope" managed to "inherit" on Russian territory. Back in 1901, a Russian aristocrat acquired the "revenge of the gods", after which he presented the diamond to his mistress. He soon found out that she was cheating on him, after which he shot the French dancer due to a fit of jealousy without hesitation. Only a few days have passed since the tragedy, when the nobleman himself was killed on the street.
The series of tragedies brought by the Hope diamond did not stop there at all. Seven years later, it was acquired by the last Turkish sultan Abdul-Hamid II. There is nothing strange in the fact that less than a year later, the Young Turks, led by Enverpasha, carried out a coup, deposing the Sultan. All his last years he was in prison, and died there.
After 2 years, the diamond was bought for half a million francs by Pierre Cartier, who decided to immediately resell it to the American millionaire McLean, the heir apparent owner of the Washington Post. The wife of this magnate owned South African diamond mines. It seemed that the diamond would not hurt her in any way. But everything went wrong. Soon the McLean family lost their heir, then the husband got drunk and died. The family got so scared that they sold the Hope to Harry Winston.
He did not tempt fate and sent the fatal diamond for safekeeping to the Smithsonian Institution. The transfer of such a jewel was not accompanied by any security measures - an ordinary envelope sent by mail. Winston reasoned that if the stone reached its destination - fine, but if it gets lost - it's not a problem either.
Now the Hope diamond adorns the permanent museum exhibition in Washington. They have already tried to steal it many times, although without success.
But this only plays into the hands of thieves, because after a successful attempt they would definitely not be greeted - historical experience is guaranteed to confirm this.
Price
The Hope Diamond is valued at $XNUMX million. This mineral is recognized as the most expensive stone in the world.
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