Cursed Diamonds- The Hope Diamond

It's spooky season and that brings along tales of curses and magic. The diamond industry is no different. There are several notable stones that are known for their lore as much as their luster.  Let's start with the first and most noteable- 

-The Hope Diamond
Over it's 350 year history, this diamond has been especially lore filled- Discoverd in 1673 as a then 115c arat blue diamond by a French gem merchant, it is country of orgin is India and  it has belonged to the likes of King Louis XIV (who wore it set in gold on a gold cord around his neck) and Marie Antoinette. 
It was purchased in 1839 by Henry Hope- which is where it got it's now infamous name and current size, still and impressive and staggering 45.22 Carats. His family ulitmately sold the bauble to pay off gambling debts after Henry's death. The next owner who counted it has his own, was murdered for the stone by his own son- (who later took his own life). 

Next was Evalyn Walsh McLean, who was not detered by the dark past surrounding the stone. she herself lost both her children to death, and her husband left her- and went mad and died shortly after. 
It was Evalyn's heirs who sold the stone to Harry Winston- after a tour of the USA he made the choice to donate it to the Smithsonian. Which he famously mailed to the museum via the regular old United States Postal Service for $2.44 postage.