The Mystery of the Hope Diamond
An Exceptional Blue Diamond
The Hope Diamond, weighing 45.52 carats , is one of the most famous blue diamonds in the world , thanks to its unique history and dazzling color . Its origins date back to the Golconda mines in India , where it was extracted in the 17th century and purchased in 1666 by the French merchant Jean-Baptiste Tavernier .
A Royal Treasure and Its Theft
Jean-Baptiste Tavernier then sold this diamond to Louis XIV in 1668. The Sun King had the diamond recut to enhance its brilliance, and it was known at the time as " the Blue Diamond of the Crown." The diamond was later stolen in 1792 , at the beginning of the French Revolution .
A History of Illustrious Owners
After resurfacing in London in the early 19th century , the diamond was sold to the wealthy Hope family , who owned it for several decades before it was purchased in 1911 by Evalyn Walsh McLean , a wealthy American heiress .
Harry Winston , the famous American jeweler, later bought the diamond from Evalyn Walsh McLean before bequeathing it to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC in 1958 , where it is still on display today .
The diamond attracts the attention of 6 million visitors a year thanks to its color and legendary history. 
