Laura Faunce, age 15, of Sarasota, Fla., for her question:
WHAT IS THE HOPE DIAMOND?
Largest diamond ever found is the Cullinan diamond that was discovered in South Africa near Pretoria, Transvall, in 1905. It weighed 3,106 carats, or about
a pound and a half. Presented by the Transvall government to King Edward VII of England, diamond cutters in Amsterdam trimmed it into nine large stones and 96 smaller stones. The largest of these is the largest cut diamond in the world.
Perhaps one of the most famous diamonds in the world is the Hope diamond. It is a blue diamond that weighs 44.5 carats cut. At the present time it is located in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.
What is now the Hope diamond came from India in 1668, weighing 112.5 carats. It was purchased by Louis XIV of France and was called the Blue Diamond of the Crown. It was cut into a heart shaped gem of 67 carats in 1673.
In 1792 the famous and beautiful diamond was either lost or stolen.
In 1830 the diamond surfaced in London. It had been recut and now was a 44.5 carat gem. It was purchased by an Englishman, Henry Hope, who gave the diamond its name.
During the years that followed the diamond changed hands a number of times. And it also established a legend that the stone brought bad luck to its owners.
In 1911 the Hope diamond was purchased for $180,000 by Mrs. E.E. McLean of Washington, D.C. After her death it was purchased by a New York jeweler, Henry Winston. In 1958, Winston presented the priceless gem to the Smithsonian.
In 1934, another famous gem was found. Called the Jonker diamond, it weighed 726 carats and was said to be unequaled in purity. In 1935 1937, the Jonker was cut into 12 flawless stones.
Still another famous diamond is the Orloff, a mangificent Russian crown jewel which was purchased by Prince Orloff for the Empress Catherine II. It is said this huge stone was stolen from the eye of an idol in a Hindu temple.
Regarded as one of the world's most beautiful large stones is the Regent or Pitt diamond. Originally from India, the diamond is now owned by France and is on display in the Louvre Museum.
There are thousands of large, famous diamonds in the world today. One is the Star of the South which weighs 125.5 carats and was found in Brazil.
Largest diamond found in the United States was discovered near Manchester, Va. Called the Ouinur, it weighed 23.75 carats uncut and 11.75 carats cut.