Friday the 13th: Cursed Jewelry

The idea of cursed jewelry has been fancifully entertaining some while terrifying others throughout history. It likely started as a deterrent against thieves, but the psyche is a powerful thing and fear can make us twist like very little else. Some of the most famous haunted or cursed jewelry is what we are going to look into today, on this Friday the 13^th.

THE HOPE DIAMOND

The Hope Diamond started its dark and perilous journey within the Golconda mines in India. It is linked to a slew of tragedies and unfortunate events or circumstances. Easily one of the most famous pieces of cursed jewelry known in the current day, the blue diamond currently weighs in at 45.52. It started out much larger at about 112 carats, but it was re-cut into the glamourous stone known the world over.

Troublesome mishaps and endangerments have accompanied the diamond throughout its 4 centuries of known history. King Louis XIV and Marie Antoinette were the owners of the stone during the French Revolution, which ultimately ended in their beheading. From owner to owner, the stone was most often sold to pay off new, large, and unfortunately ruinous debts. The last private owner was American Socialite, Evalyn McLean, her life was marred by a host of awful events in her time as the diamond’s keeper. Her son was killed in a car accident, her daughter died in an overdose, her husband had an affair and they ultimately divorced. He died in a mental institution in 1941, and it should be noted that he was the purchaser of the diamond. Ms. McLean was also grifted out of $100,000 by Gaston Means who told her that he would be able to release the Lindbergh baby. When she died of pneumonia in 1947, she was 60 years old…which seems young to me!

The stone was among her collection that was purchased as a lot by Harry Winston after her death. Winston toured the diamond for several years and then donated it to the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History in 1958. It has resided as a permanent exhibit since that time, and they claim to have had no trouble from the cursed diamond.

THE BLACK PRINCE’S RUBY (THE GREAT IMPOSTER)

The large red stone that sits in the center of England’s Imperial State Crown is known as “The Black Prince’s Ruby,” is not a ruby at all. This spinel has been in the possession of English rulers since the 14^th century when it was given to the “Black Prince,” Edward of Woodstock. A previous owner is said to have been Abū Sa’īd, the Arab Muslim Prince of Granada. When he was assassinated by Don Pedro the Cruel, he had the spinel on his person and it was added to the loot collected by Don Pedro.

Don Pedro was forced to rely on the alliance of the Black Prince during a revolt against him lead by his own illegitimate brother. When they successfully defeated the revolt, Don Pedro was left little option but to give the Black Prince his precious “Ruby” in exchange for his services. It’s not their fault though that they mistook the stone for a ruby, all red stones were more or less considered to be rubies, and spinel was not known to be chemically different for centuries.

Henry V was wearing a helmet with the stone set in it at the Battle of Agincourt where he was hit in the head and nearly died. It is also said to have been worn by Richard III when he died at the Battle of Bosworth. The crown jewels were dismantled and sold off by Oliver Cromwell but returned to the crown under the reign of Charles II. It has been set in a crown worn for coronations since Queen Victoria was seated. The curse has largely seemed to lay dormant since that time, but there are never any guarantees.

We understand needing some color in your jewelry collection, but you can miss the curses! Shop through the PriceScope Jewelry Search to find pieces that fit your desires. That seems lucky, indeed!

LUCKY LOOKS

Have you ever owned and jewelry that seemed to come with a dark cloud? Tell us all about it in the comments! Let’s get spooky!

Written by Kayti Kawachi