Hope Diamond in it's "new" setting - Happy 50th anniversary!!

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mbayliss

mbayliss

O.G.
May 8, 2009
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#1
I went to Washington DC last year when the Hope Diamond was removed from it's original setting and last week went back and got to see it in it's new 50th anniversary setting from Harry Winston. Just thought I'd share the picture with everyone.

An article with all of the information on it:

WASHINGTON — The famous Hope Diamond is getting dressed up to celebrate its anniversary.
The giant blue diamond was unveiled Thursday in a modernized necklace, a setting designed by Harry Winston Inc., in New York to commemorate the gem's half-century on display at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History.
It was Harry Winston who donated the diamond to the Smithsonian, sending it from New York to Washington by registered mail more than a half-century ago.
The new necklace, entitled "Embracing Hope," was chosen from three possibilities in an online vote of more than 100,000 people.
Traditionally the Hope has been in a necklace displayed in an oval setting surrounded by a series of white diamonds. Embracing Hope places the diamond in a wider triple-strand necklace that curves around the blue gem, embracing it and reuniting at the bottom.
The Hope will be shown in this setting for a year before being returned to its traditional one.
 

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#2
I think I preferred the original setting more. . .this just looks too bulky! But the "embrace" design with the setting wrapping around and coming together at the end with the diamond is a really cool one!

Thanks for the pic and article :D
 
#3
kohl_mascara said:
I think I preferred the original setting more. . .this just looks too bulky! But the "embrace" design with the setting wrapping around and coming together at the end with the diamond is a really cool one!
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Me too! But this one is actually very pretty. I think the information stated that it will be set in this for a year, then HW will take the Hope Diamond out and replace it with another blue stone and they will put it on exhibit for a year and then auction it off - proceeds going to the Smithsonian - so, that's really cool.
 
#5
mbayliss said:
Me too! But this one is actually very pretty. I think the information stated that it will be set in this for a year, then HW will take the Hope Diamond out and replace it with another blue stone and they will put it on exhibit for a year and then auction it off - proceeds going to the Smithsonian - so, that's really cool.
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Haha, I guess pictures never do jewelry justice!! I think the auction is a really awesome idea too. . .I need to go visit DC sometime and visit The Mall again!
 
#6
kohl_mascara said:
Haha, I guess pictures never do jewelry justice!! I think the auction is a really awesome idea too. . .I need to go visit DC sometime and visit The Mall again!
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It's so great - I love going to the Natural History Museum to look (and ogle) over all of the beautiful jewelry. I just got the new iPhone, so it takes much better pictures than the blackberry I used last year. :) I should use a CAMERA, but I always forget about it when I take day trips up there.
 
#8
Guess I'm just a stuffy, old traditionalist--I think they should've kept it in the origianl setting, as it's a historical museum item. The new one is lovely, but I'd rather see it used for a new necklace at a jeweler's.

I saw it years ago, while on a school trip. Wasn't too impressed at age 13, but, boy, my tastes have sure changed since then! :D
 
#9
I remember seeing it when I was 14 and not being too impressed because I thought it would be larger... y'know like those big diamonds you see in movies & what-not. I had no idea how rare diamonds of that size/color are. I wish I could see it now!
 
#14
Ratnapur said:
Guess I'm just a stuffy, old traditionalist--I think they should've kept it in the origianl setting, as it's a historical museum item. The new one is lovely, but I'd rather see it used for a new necklace at a jeweler's.

I saw it years ago, while on a school trip. Wasn't too impressed at age 13, but, boy, my tastes have sure changed since then! :D
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Aww - I thought the new setting was pretty...but I don't think it's as lovely as the original HW setting they had it removed from. I guess they have to clean the stones sometime - once every 50 years seems to be a good number. LOL!! Just kidding!!
 
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