A New Chapter in the Hope Diamond’s History
The National Museum of Natural History’s most famous gem gets a modern update
- By Abby Callard
- Smithsonian.com, August 18, 2009, Subscribe
The Hope Diamond is the crown jewel of the National Museum of Natural History's internationally recognized, 10,000-strong gems collection. Ever since its arrival at the Smithsonian in 1958, visitors have flocked to see the fabled 45.52-carat brilliant blue beauty.
Today marks a new chapter in the history of the famous diamond. The New York-based jeweler Harry Winston, the firm that donated the Hope to the museum, has drafted three new modern settings for the stone. All three designs, exquisitely rendered by two of the firm's top designers, illustrate the Hope enshrined in baguette diamonds.
The decision to reset the diamond came on the heels of the 50th anniversary of Harry Winston's donation. "As we were thinking about the anniversary, we came up with a theme of giving the public a chance to see the diamond in a way they've never seen it before," says Jeffrey Post, curator of gems at the National Museum of Natural History. "How often do you have a 50th? We needed to have a celebration." The celebration, they decided, would be to display the Hope in a new way.
The challenge, then, was to create a modern design that improved the way the diamond looked. To give the Hope an updated look for its golden anniversary, the team at Harry Winston started with dozens of preliminary sketches, and eventually winnowed them down to three finalists: Renewed Hope, A Journey of Hope and Embracing Hope.
The designs, says Sandrine de Laage, vice president of design at Harry Winston, create a "very interesting contrast between the deep blue of the diamond, the brilliance of the diamond and the cooler aspects of the baguette diamonds."
Trained in France and born to a family of jewelry designers, Maurice Galli has worked for the firm for nearly two decades and is the only designer to have worked with Harry Winston, who died in 1978.
Galli says his first design, A Journey of Hope, symbolizes the American experience. In it, the stone asymmetrically joins strands of baguettes. Galli calls it a crossroad, "uniting hope and opportunity."
In Galli's second design, Embracing Hope, a ribbon of three rows of baguette diamonds hugs the Hope Diamond at the center. "The idea there was to create the very strong contrast between the brilliance, the life of the Hope itself and the look of the baguettes," he says.
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Comments (62)
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I thought the 'Journey of Hope' setting was the best of the three choices. Have seen the Hope Diamond displayed with the Crown Jewels while in Ontario, CN, when I was a teen. Have also seen the Hope Diamond at the Museum of Natural History in DC many times too. Looking forward to seeing it in its new setting soon. Wonder if they'd let me see it up close and personal since I am related to Evalyn Walsh McLean? Perhaps I should write to Harry Winston about that.
Posted by Maria New on December 11,2010 | 02:26 AM
You guys are obsesed with the hope diamond but they shouldn't change it i guess.
Posted by sanbiotch on December 2,2010 | 06:43 PM
No product endorsements? Shame on the Smithsonian decision makers and HW! Those who never heard of them certainly know who they are now and where they do business. Why couldn't they have hosted a fund-raising celebration instead of this huge waste of time and money? Maybe then the Smithsonian could have developed a better, less crowded venue for the Hope Diamond. Of the MANY times I have brought out of town guests to see the Hope, none have ever complained about its setting...only about the suffocating small venue which causes much pushing and shoving. Last summer, an elderly friend from Texas was shoved hard enough to make her fall except for the kindness of the people waiting behind us who caught her.
Posted by Carmen Wood on November 10,2010 | 06:01 AM
Great info! Just curious if this takes into account the period of time between Marie Antoinette’s beheading and the resurfacing of the Hope Diamond 20 years later. It is my contention that I know who ran off with it and why. You see my ancestor was the one behind the reappearance of the famous stone that started the War of 1812. COME VISIT MY BLOGSITE http://crystalperigord.wordpress.com/
Posted by Crystal on November 2,2010 | 03:05 PM
who were the past owners?
Posted by dominic on October 20,2010 | 01:00 PM
Does anyone knows about the result of this competition? I participated in it because the set up is going to be TEMPORARY only. Does anyone have any idea of how many competitors participated in this competition?
Posted by ELIANE BOECHAT on May 27,2010 | 04:10 PM
Hi! I participated in the Smithsonian Competion regarding "Create Your Own Set For The Hope Diamond" and now I can't find out any link connecting to this Competition to find out who won this competition. Could you assist me with that? Thanks in advance, Eliane
Posted by ELIANE BOECHAT on May 6,2010 | 02:21 PM
the hope diamond......more power to you!
Posted by joe price on November 3,2009 | 05:53 AM
Here's my two cents...and I have to ask and repeat this quote "And who is paying for all of this? Judy, Sept. 5th"
I did not see where it mentioned who would pay for this little finacial fling in the article so forgive me if I it was metioned.
Why does Laura ("I expect that Harry Winston is underwriting the cost of resetting the piece, so what on earth is all the controversy about?" Laura, Sep. 5th) expect that HW is footing the bill. I strongly suspect my taxes are paying for this fiasco.
And I believe the "Hope Diamond" is the sum of its totality. Whether I like the setting or not is not the issue. If a fuss is being made for the "50th" then highlight the real thing and lets not get caught up in the false representation (which would confuse a generation of kids who would expect the HOPE Diamond to look like the image the Smithsonian shows of it only to be confused when they later visit it and it is not what was represented) I might also add this would be free advertising for Harry Winston. Would HW be paying for the advertising? A contribution to the Smithsonian comes with financial benefits to the contributor so I do not believe the Smithsonian "owes" anythign to HW. The tax benefits HW enjoys as a result of the donation is plenty of "thanks".
I did not think I had much to say but...
Posted by Em on September 17,2009 | 09:43 AM
LEAVE IT ALONE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Why change something that isn't broken just to change it.
I hope the The Smithsonian listens to the people and not there own interest of change after all it is displayed for the PEOPLE in Our museum!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by Nitemare on September 16,2009 | 06:48 AM
I vote for leaving it the way it is. It is history just as it is!
Posted by Barbara Fornalik on September 15,2009 | 04:00 PM
I think the current setting looks like a broken molar tooth in my mouth.
Posted by Big Diamond on September 14,2009 | 02:42 PM
WHY?
Posted by MONA STENBERG on September 12,2009 | 10:54 AM
I took a look at the three proposed designs and liked the waterfall effect necklace the best. With that being said I have to agree with the majority....leave it alone. The stone's beauty is so incredible it would be hard to make it look any better than as it is right now. Perhaps the design proposals could be just that.....ideas, fantasies, proposals, and let it go with that. It seems there is always someone somewhere who can find a way to spend more money on something that does really need it. This most assuredly applies to the Hope diamond.
Posted by Dee McHose on September 11,2009 | 09:57 PM
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