Famous Loose Diamonds

There are 3 popular loose diamonds that you probably have heard or even had the opportunity to see: The Koh-I-Noor is the oldest and remains in the Tower of London along with the Cullinan Diamond, but the most legendary of them is the Hope Diamond. The strikingly blue diamond weighs 45.52 carats and is legendary for it's supposed curse it puts on its owners. The Hope Diamond is the largest blue diamond in the world and was originally found in India and brought to France in the 18th Century. At one time, it was owned by Louis XIV and Marie Antoinette. The large stone disappeared during the French Revolution but resurfaced in 1830 in London and was purchased by Henry Philip Hope, an English banker. The diamond is considered to be cursed because the entire Hope family died in poverty, as did Eward McLean who subsequently owned it. In 1949, Harry Winston purchased the the entire McLean jewelry collection and later donated the Hope Diamond to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C., where it is currently on display.