WEB SITE DEFINITION
Your Name: Jennifer Wong
Name of website: The Mystery of the Hope Diamond
Purpose of the website:
To discover the mysteries behind the Hope Diamond, the legend, the reality of its
curse, and its urban allure.
Intended audience/viewers:
1. Gem Enthusiast
2. Gem Historians
3. Individuals interested in the story or history of famous gemstones like the Hope
Diamond
4. Individuals interested in mysteries or curses of the Hope Diamond
5. Individuals visiting the Smithsonian
6. Individuals who are interested in mysterious historic deaths
Objectives of your website audience/viewers:
1. To share information about the history about the Hope Diamond
2. To provide facts about the deaths and the curse about the Hope Diamond
3. To generate more interest in the mysteries behind the Hope Diamond
4. To inform viewers on the research behind the Hope Diamond like the mysterious red
glow
5.To have viewers of the website visit the home of the Hope Diamond at the Smithsonian
National Museum of Natural History
3. CONTENT OUTLINE:
Home page:
Title: The Hope Diamond Legend
Subtitle:
3 Primary links: Home, History, The Legend, The Red Glow, and Contact
5 Secondary links: physical properties, timeline, owners, the curse, and reality
Three Primary Pages with thumbnails: History, The Legend, and The Red Glow
Structure of Homepage:
Home
History
Physical Properties
Timeline (of the Hope Diamond)
Owners
The Legend
The Curse
Reality
The Red Glow
Contact
Primary pages (Typical of what is needed to best present the required information)
Primary pages #1
Title: History
Subtitles for each subtopic on the page: History of the Hope Diamond
Links in addition to the sites primary and secondary links: Home, History, The
Legend, The Red Glow, and Contact
Copy/text for each topic covered on the page (1- 3 short paragraphs max for each
subtopic
The Hope Diamond is known for it’s many names like the Le Bijou du Roi meaning the
King’s Jewel, Le bleu de France meaning the Blue of France, and the Tavernier Blue.
The Hope Diamond is large and deep blue and when placed under UV lights glow a
mysterious red. The Hope Diamond is one of the most popular large diamonds due to the
allure of its mysterious past and curse.
Featured header or slider visuals (Include a thumbnail and title for each image)
The Hope Diamond on display
Secondary pages #1
Title: Physical properties
Subtitles for each subtopic on the page:
Links in addition to the sites primary and secondary links: Home, History, The
Legend, The Red Glow, and Contact
Copy/text for each topic covered on the page (1- 3 short paragraphs max for each
subtopic
Listed below are the physical properties of the Hope Diamond in present day. Most of
these measurements are smaller than the original uncut diamond from the beginning. The
Hope Diamond has been cut multiple times throughout the centuries moving from one
owner to another and placed in different settings.
WEIGHT: 45.52 carats
CLARITY: VS1. Whitish graining is present.
COLOR: Natural fancy deep grayish-blue
CUT: Cushion antique brilliant with a faceted girdle and extra facets on the pavilion.
CLARITY: The clarity was determined to be VS1, with whitish graining present
DIMENSIONS:
Length: 25.60 mm
Width: 21.78 mm
Depth: 12.00 mm
TOUCH AND FEEL: Described as being cool to the touch
Featured header or slider visuals (Include a thumbnail and title for each image)
Close up of the Hope Diamond
Rough cuts of the Hope Diamond
Secondary pages #2
Title: Timeline
Subtitles for each subtopic on the page: The History of the Hope Diamond
Links in addition to the sites primary and secondary links: Home, History, The
Legend, The Red Glow, and Contact
Copy/text for each topic covered on the page (1- 3 short paragraphs max for each
subtopic
The Hope Diamond specifically has been through multiple hands of ownership and across
multiple countries.
1653-1688
The first known accordance of the Hope Diamond was thought that it came from the
Kollur Mine in India and was faceted to a triangular shape. The gem merchant who
purchased the gem was Jean Baptiste Tavernier where the Hope Diamond gets its second
name the Tavernier Blue.
1688
The Hope Diamond was purchased for King Louis XIV of France
1791
King Louis XIV and his wife Marie Antoinette were in trouble from the people and
government of France. So the Hope Diamond along with the jewels of the French Royal
Treasury was turned over to the government.
1792
The large blue diamond was stolen during a week long looting of the French Revolution
in September.
1812
A deep colored blue diamond was documented and possessed by Daniel Eliason that was
rumored to be the Hope Diamond. This is also when the statue of limitations for the
crime of stealing the diamond expired.
1821-1830
King George IV of England acquired the Hope Diamond
1830
At the death of King George IV and his enormous amounts of debt, the large blue
diamond was sold, not knowing whom it was sold too or where, it is thought that the
diamond was sold through private channels.
1839
There was a large blue diamond that appeared on a gem collection catalogue owned by
Henry Philip Hope, this is where the diamond gets its last name as the Hope Diamond.
1841-1909
The Hope Diamond was passed on from Henry Philip Hope to his nephew Henry Thomas
Hope. After Lord Francis Hope, grandson of Henry Thomas Hope, inherited the Hope
Diamond. Lord Francis Hope however sold the hope diamond to Adolf Weil who then
quickly sold it to Selim Habib, which here began the curse of the Hope Diamond. The
Hope Diamond was again sold to C. H. Rosenau.
1909
The Hope Diamond was sold to Pierre Cartier
1910
Pierre Cartier introduced the diamond to Evalyn Walsh McLean and although she did not
like it at first. Pierre remounted the diamond and changed the setting to a headpiece with
a 3-tiered circlet of large white diamonds. Evalyn purchased this immediately and soon
after had it placed in a different setting to a pendant on a diamond necklace, this is the
final setting of the Hope Diamond and what it looks like today.
1949
At the death of Evalyn Walsh McLean, Harry Winston purchased her entire jewelry
collection. For the next 9 years the Hope Diamond was exhibited on Harry Winston’s
“Court of Jewels Exhibit”
1958
Harry Winston donated the Hope Diamond to the Smithsonian institution where it stays
today. Fun Fact the precious Hope Diamond was actually mailed via the U.S. Postal
Service to the Smithsonian institution.
Featured header or slider visuals (Include a thumbnail and title for each image)
Secondary pages #3
Title: Owners
Subtitles for each subtopic on the page: Owners of the Hope Diamond (and what they
wore it as i.e. crown, necklace, staff)
Links in addition to the sites primary and secondary links: Home, History, The
Legend, The Red Glow, and Contact
Copy/text for each topic covered on the page (1- 3 short paragraphs max for each
subtopic
1653 Jean Baptiste Tavernier lived 1605-1689 and died at age of 84
1668 King Louis XIV lived 1638-1715 and died at the age of 76
1722 King Louis XV Lived 1710–1774 died age 64
1775 King Louis XVI Guillotined 1793
1775 Marie Antoinette Guillotined 1793
1830 Thomas Hope Lived 1769–1831 died age 62
1884 Lord Francis Hope bankruptcy; forced to sell it; lived 1866–1941 died age 75
1894 Wife of Francis Hope May Yohé Musical actress, divorced, remarried several
times, died poor, age 72
1910 Pierre Cartier Lived 1878–1964, died age 86
1911 Edward Beale McLean and Evalyn Walsh McLean Couple divorced 1932; Edward
had mental illness; Evalyn died from pneumonia in 1947
1947 Harry Winston Lived 1896–1978 died age 83
1958 Smithsonian Institution Prospered, attendance up
Featured header or slider visuals (Include a thumbnail and title for each image)
Primary pages #2
Title: The Legend
Subtitles for each subtopic on the page: History of the Hope Diamond
Links in addition to the sites primary and secondary links: Home, History, The
Legend, The Red Glow, and Contact
Copy/text for each topic covered on the page (1- 3 short paragraphs max for each
subtopic
Legend has it that the Hope Diamond is cursed. Whoever owns the Hope Diamond and is
the wearer of it will have misfortune and bad luck. Legends have also created a story for
how the curse began although there are multiple and many different stories.
The most told and renowned story of the Hope Diamond is that the first and original form
of the diamond was taken from a sculpted statue of the goddess Sita. The one who had
taken it was a Hindu Priest and for his punishment for stealing the diamond was a slow
and agonizing death. The French merchant Jean Baptiste who sold it later was apparently
mauled to death by a pack of wild dogs (which we know to be not true).
Featured header or slider visuals (Include a thumbnail and title for each image)
Secondary pages #1
Title: The Curse
Subtitles for each subtopic on the page: Owners of the Hope Diamond (and what they
wore it as i.e. crown, necklace, staff)
Links in addition to the sites primary and secondary links: Home, History, The
Legend, The Red Glow, and Contact
Copy/text for each topic covered on the page (1- 3 short paragraphs max for each
subtopic
So the Hope Diamond has always been surrounded by its own mysteries. Most of what
the curse around the Hope Diamond is that misfortune or bad luck will come to the
wearer of the stone. Many newspapers aided in the curse of the Hope Diamond as they
published the history of the curse. For example a New Zealand newspaper described the
curse as the stone coming from a single eye of an idol, the Washington Post also wrote
about the curse and how whoever owned it bought trouble to the family or misfortune.
Below is a list of the people who have owned the Hope Diamond with the misfortune that
happened to them
•
•
•
•
Jacques Colet bought the Hope Diamond from Simon Frankel and committed suicide.
Prince Ivan Kanitovski bought it from Colet but was killed by Russian revolutionists.
Kanitovski loaned it to Mlle Ladue who was "murdered by her sweetheart."
Simon Mencharides, who had once sold it to the Turkish sultan, was thrown from a
precipice along with his wife and young child.
• Sultan Hamid gave it to Abu Sabir to "polish" but later Sabir was imprisoned and
tortured.
• Stone guardian Kulub Bey was hanged by a mob in Turkey.
• A Turkish attendant named Hehver Agha was hanged for having it in his possession.
• Tavernier, who brought the stone from India to Paris was "torn to pieces by wild
dogs in Constantinople."
• King Louis gave it to Madame de Montespan whom later he abandoned.
• Nicholas Fouquet, an "Intendant of France", borrowed it temporarily to wear it but was
"disgraced and died in prison."
• A temporary wearer, Princess de Lamballe, was "torn to pieces by a French mob."
• Jeweler William Fals who recut the stone "died a ruined man."
• William Fals' son Hendrik stole the jewel from his father and later "committed
suicide."
• Some years (after Hendrik) "it was sold to Francis Deaulieu, who died in misery and
want."
Source: The New York Times, January 29, 1911
For more information on the Hope Diamond’s owners please visit here
Featured header or slider visuals (Include a thumbnail and title for each image)
Secondary pages #2
Title: Reality
Subtitles for each subtopic on the page: Owners of the Hope Diamond (and what they
wore it as i.e. crown, necklace, staff)
Links in addition to the sites primary and secondary links: Home, History, The
Legend, The Red Glow, and Contact
Copy/text for each topic covered on the page (1- 3 short paragraphs max for each
subtopic
Most of what the curse of the Hope Diamond seems to be fabricated just to enhance the
appeal and allure of the Hope Diamond itself. Most of the origins of the curse were
fabricated during the early 20th century. This aided the popularity of selling and seeing
the Hope Diamond but also the sales of newspapers that wrote about the Hope Diamond.
Although it has been noted that there is no scientific evidence that has proven any of the
curse to be correct or not correct. The stories of the curse however seem to be
inconsistent with historical events pertaining to specific persons and how they actually
died.
Featured header or slider visuals (Include a thumbnail and title for each image)
Primary pages #3
Title: The Red Glow
Subtitles for each subtopic on the page: History of the Hope Diamond
Links in addition to the sites primary and secondary links: Home, History, The
Legend, The Red Glow, and Contact
Copy/text for each topic covered on the page (1- 3 short paragraphs max for each
subtopic
The Hope Diamond has many mysteries and one of them is its mysterious red glow that it
has under UV lights. The red glow given off by the Hope Diamond lasts for several
minutes after being exposed to UV light. A way to describe this odd red glow is to think
about a red-hot coal in a BBQ. With this nagging mystery the U.S. Navel Research
Laboratory, Ocean Optics Instrument Company, and Penn State University took the Hope
Diamond, the Blue heart diamond being the second largest deep blue diamond, and the
Aurora Butterfly of Peace collection consisting of 240 colored gemstones to study. These
gems were hand taken to a highly secure blue room vault and began their studies on the
rare gems.
Using a spectrometer that measures wavelengths of light they exposed each diamond to
ultra violet light to measure the intensity of the light given off and how long it lasted, like
the red glow. What they found was a complete surprise. Essentially they had discovered
the idea of phosphorescence behavior and that it was like a fingerprint unique to each
blue diamond.
Phosphorescence is a property found in all natural blue diamonds, it is because of the
element boron. Boron is considered to be impurities present in the diamond and also what
gives the diamond the deep blue color. Boron interacts with nitrogen, which gives the
ominous red glow to the individual gems. Each blue diamond had different
phosphorescence. With this find researchers can identify different types of blue diamonds
but also fake deep blue diamonds with natural blue diamonds based on the spectrum they
recorded. Therefore the Hope Diamond has a specific cause for the odd red glow but is
not as special since it is a property of all natural blue diamonds. Another mystery solved
of the Hope Diamond.
Featured header or slider visuals (Include a thumbnail and title for each image)
(Photo by John Nels Hatleberg)
Primary pages #4
Title: Contact Page
Sidebar to appear on primary pages (with your recommended content)
Widgets: Search and Archives on sidebar