Last fall, after a lifetime of waiting, I finally had the opportunity to see the historic and notorious Hope diamond up close at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. A few days later, it was taken off display in preparation for resetting in honor of its 50th anniversary at the museum. I was grateful I hadn’t missed seeing it, and was certainly not disappointed by its stunning natural and man-made beauty.
As an avid follower of historic and important jewels, I was blown away by the gem collection held by the Smithsonian. So I was excited to hear that only a year after my own “historic” visit to see the Hope diamond, the Smithsonian added a new and highly important piece to their collection. Now I’m busy thinking of every possible excuse to get back to D.C. to have a personal look at the Cullinan Blue Diamond Necklace.
Photo by Chip Clark
The new acquisition is a 100-year-old jewel that is currently on display just a few feet away from the Hope diamond. Although it features a “mere” 5.32 combined carats of rare blue diamonds as compared to the gigantic 45-carat blue Hope diamond, the necklace is managing to more than hold its own. It’s even being touted by the Smithsonian as “one of the greatest gifts the museum has received.”
Aside from the intrinsic value of the rare blue diamonds and over 200 other colorless diamonds, the magic of this necklace seems to be rooted in sentiment, history, and a good story. Several good stories, actually… all of which weave together as artfully as the lacy bow design of the necklace itself.
It all starts with a South African explorer and prospector who purchased a diamond mine in the Transvaal Colony in 1902 hoping to make a fortune. Although his prior prospecting had been mostly unsuccessful, it’s reported that he promised his wife that in his new venture he would find her the largest diamond in the world.
In 1905, it seemed his promise would be fulfilled when a perfectly clear and colorless 3,106-carat rough diamond was discovered in his mine (it remains the largest rough, gem-quality diamond ever found). But although the historical find was named after him, Thomas Cullinan did not give the stone to his wife. Instead, he sold it to the Transvaal government for £150,000 (roughly equivalent to more than £12,750,000/$20,642,000 today), and insured for 10 times that amount.
The gigantic rough stone was carefully cleaved into nine primary stones, as well as a multitude of smaller stones, altogether amounting to a total of 1,063 carats, with the remainder lost to the cutting process. Like the Hope diamond with its connections to the French royal family, the Cullinan diamond was destined to become closely associated with royalty. By 1910, the nine primary stones cut from the rough stone had been either gifted to or purchased by the British royal family, and Thomas Cullinan had been knighted by the British government.
While the Hope diamond is said to have brought misfortune to anyone who ever owned it (most notoriously, the ill-fated King Louis XVI of France and his consort, Marie Antoinette), the British royals have had no such trouble with the Cullinan diamonds. The two largest pieces, the 530.2-carat Greater Star of Africa (also known as the Cullinan I) and the 317.4-carat Second Star of Africa (Cullinan II), are set in the Royal Sceptre and the Imperial State Crown, respectively. Both have been used in the British royal coronation ceremonies since 1911 and are on display at the Tower of London as part of the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom. The other seven pieces – ranging in size from 94.4 carats down to 4.4 carats are set in various pieces of jewelry that are worn to this day by Queen Elizabeth II.
Photo by Chip Clark
Sir Thomas’ important discovery may have brought him fame, bore his name, and graced crowned heads, but he still had not fulfilled his promise to his wife Annie. So either as consolation for this transgression or to celebrate his knighthood (or both), in 1910 he commissioned for her a necklace of nine blue diamonds representing the nine diamonds cut from the original Cullinan stone. The largest of these is a 2.6-carat fancy blue diamond – a respectable size for the very rare colored stone. A total of 5.32 carats of blue diamonds are accented by 243 colorless diamonds – 30-carats of diamonds in all – set in relatively humble silver. Typical to Edwardian practicality, the main part of the necklace – a double-ribbon bow with the largest blue diamond hanging as a pendant – can be detached from the chain and worn as a brooch.
This beautiful jewel, with its signature graceful Edwardian style, was passed down through the descendants of Sir Thomas and his wife through the first daughter of each generation until their great-granddaughter sold it to California jeweler Stephen Silver in 1992. This year, Silver donated the necklace to the National Gem Collection and it officially went on exhibit in the Harry Winston Gallery at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington D.C. on September 27. It won’t remain next to its larger cousin, the Hope diamond, for long, however. In the spring of 2011, the Cullinan Blue Diamond Necklace will make its permanent home in the National Gem Gallery.
Even without a royal provenance, record size or notorious past, the Cullinan Blue Diamond Necklace has managed to make its way into the pages of history as a significant and important piece of jewelry on level with the Hope and Cullinan diamonds. To me, it proves that sentiment, symbolism and timeless elegance count as much – if not more – in jewelry as celebrity, carat size and ostentation.
-Tori
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For more information on the Cullinan Blue Diamond Necklace, I recommend the following links:
Tags: blue diamonds, British Crown Jewels, British royal family, Cullinan diamond, diamonds, Edwardian jewelry, French royal family, Harry Winston Gallery, Hope diamond, Imperial State Crown, King Louis XVI of France, Marie Antoinette, National Gem Collection, National Gem Gallery, National Museum of Natural History, Queen Elizabeth II, Royal Sceptre, Smithsonian, South Africa, Star of Africa, Stephen Silver, The Cullinan Blue Diamond Necklace, Thomas Cullinan, Transvaal, Washington D.C.
