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Friday, January 18, 2008

how many carats?
Ok so who says you don't learn anything reading blogs and that they are a waste of time?

The hope diamond is 45.52 carats. This little contest gave me a chance to do a little more research of this awesome diamond. Here are the bullet points of what i learned.
  • This diamond has quite a history and is worth reading about.
  • the diamond is most likely from India
  • before the diamond was cut to its original size was over 112 carats and described as being a "beautiful violet"
  • this stone has been sold by it's owners to pay off debts, just another reason to stay out of debt. Can you imagine how sad it would be to HAVE to sell this if you owned it.
  • when it was cut to about 67 carats, the king would wear it around his neck on a ribbon (how appropriate the ribbon is the award this contest)
  • This is a photo of Mrs. Evalyn Walsh McLean wearing the Hope Diamond with the McLean Diamond (31.26 Carats) and Star of the East (94.8 Carats) attached - she has one strong neck!

  • Mrs. Evalyn Walsh McLean, of Washington D.C., bought the diamond after seeing it in Paris at the Cartier's auction. 1910 when she first saw the diamond she didn't like the original setting. Cartier had the diamond reset and then sent it to the US to have her borrow it for the weekend - his strategy worked because she bought it.
  • When she did died in 1947 it was purchased by Harry Winston.
  • the pendant around the Hope diamond has 16 white pear shaped diamonds
In December of 1988, a team from the Gemological Institute of America visited the Smithsonian to grade the great blue stone using present day techniques. They observed that the gem shows evidence of wear, has a remarkably strong phosphorescence, and that its clarity is slightly affected by a whitish graining which is common to blue diamonds. They described the color as a fancy dark grayish-blue. An examination on the same day by another gemologist using a very sensitive colorimeter revealed that there is a very slight violet component to the deep blue color which is imperceptible to the naked eye. Still, one can only wonder that the original 112 3/16-carat stone bought by Tavernier was described as "un beau violet" (a beautiful violet).

Really interesting and should get anyone excited to pay it a visit at the Natural History Museum when you visit D.C. When you look at it (there is always a huge crown around it) just think of the stories that diamond could tell. The smiles it has seen when one acquired it and the sorrow it has seen when when had to sell it to pay their debts. This would make for a great book, "if diamonds could talk"

Ok so who won the 26.2 yards of ribbon. This was tough. I had to go by who was the first to comment as near the end their were a few that guessed correctly.

My previous ribbon giveaways were 11.5 yards as that is the size of my running shoe. But after my marathon (26.2 miles) it seems like a good number of yards to now giveaway.

Julia was the first to guess the correct 45.52

Blogger Julia said...

What a great museum! We will have to go to DC again...

I just saw the hope diamond a few weeks ago, but I can't remember if it was 44.52 or 45.52 carats. Eric commented that he was going to buy it for my engagement ring, but was worried that it would be too heavy for my finger. So thoughtful of him!

But then there were a few that were so close how could i not send them some honorable mention of yardage.



To Melissa - being from memory this is amazing you were only a hair off!

Blogger Melissa said...

If my memory is correct (it's been known to fail me a time or 2) I'll say that the hope diamond is 45 1/2carats. Now I have to google it and find out if I remembered correctly.

this was after Julia but thought it was such a great story I had to reward Jen for sharing it with me.

Blogger Jenmomof4 said...

We got to see it a two years ago when we were there for a wedding. I could not believe how big it was. We always quiz the kids after we take trips like that on facts. The diamond was one of them. I had to make up a story so the kids would remember the weight. "When I am 45 Your dad will be 52" Which is true we are 7 years apart. So my answer is 45.52 carats.

and to Shannon who just took a guess and came so close.

Shannon guessed:
I am new to your blog but I want to guess!!!
45 carats
I have heard of the diamond before but never seen it
Now I need to go look it up!!!!

and there is your "blogucation" for the day!

12 comments:

Jennifer (mom of four) said...

WOW! I get some cool ribbon from the cool ribbon place that I have yet to visit!! Maybe on our next trip to D.C.! We are only 18 hours from door to door.

Thanks Kristi for the great lesson today!

Lacie said...

How neat!! I love the history of things and places. I could not read the info fast enough. Thanks for sharing!

Amanda :-) said...

I was very defeatist about this and didn't even hazard a guess because I hadn't a clue, and risked ridicule if I said smthg stupid like '175'!!

That information is good reading, though, so thank you for all that research!

I rented a flat once in an old building, owned by the lady who lived on the ground floor. She was very old and had lived in Africa during the 20s/30s. Her husband was a diamond merchant. She used to tell me amazing tales of life as a Colonial in the diamond trade. And all the while she told me, she'd be draped in these huuuuge pieces of jewellery that I just KNEW where the real deal. Scary to be so close to so many valuable gems!

Jill said...

I didn't even take a guess because I knew nothing about the Hope Diamond at all. This is interesting. You're educating everybody.

P.S. When will you post about your birthday???

Julia said...

Yay!

I'm with Jill-- I would love to hear about your birthday...

Nikki said...

Thanks for the education- very interesting. If diamonds could talk- that would be an excellent book!

Anonymous said...

Kristi, I'm Claudia's friend and I recently met Jill during her visit to Cali...yes, I'm one of the lurkers that Jill mentioned in her blogs.

My daughter and I enjoyed reading your blog. We were in DC last May on vacation. We enjoyed site seeing but most of all visiting the museums.

Lauralee said...

blogucation.. love it! thanks for all the info.. I didn't have a clue.. I didn't even know it was a real thing!

RoRo2 said...

I love your blogucation! Thanks so much!

Mrs. McDaniel said...

Kristi,

I need to email you & ask you a question~is there a better email than the pink christmas one?

everything pink! said...

autumn.
you can email me at pinkeverythingpink@yahoo.com

Mrs. McDaniel said...

Thanks girl!