Hope Diamond: The Legendary History of a Cursed Gem

Richard Kurin, the Smithsonian Institution's Under Secretary for History, Art, and Culture, traces the Hope Diamond from its origins as the Tavernier Blue, through its various owners, to its current home in the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History. The book draws on extensive archival research and benefits from the author's institutional access to the gem itself and its documentation.

The Cartier connection is central to the modern chapter of the diamond's story. Pierre Cartier acquired the stone and, through a carefully orchestrated sales campaign that leaned into the diamond's reputation as "cursed," sold it to Evalyn Walsh McLean in 1911. Kurin reconstructs the negotiations in detail, drawing on correspondence and contemporary accounts.

Relevance to The Cartiers

The sale of the Hope Diamond helped establish Cartier New York as a destination for wealthy American clients. Kurin's account provides independent corroboration and additional context for the episode as told in The Cartiers.