The History Of The Hope Diamond
Named for the Queen of Holland, Hortense de Beauhamais, the Hortensia diamond registers at just 20 carats – a lot smaller sized than any of the other diamonds so far. Maybe the stone’s fame comes from its illustrious history, which consists of being stolen and gracing Napoleon Bonaparte’s uniform. The French regent, Philippe II, bought it in 1717 from Pitt, exactly where it remained with French royalty till it was stolen through the French Revolution. The diamond’s whereabouts were unknown until it was ultimately discovered hidden in an attic in Paris. In 1801, Napoleon Bonaparte acquired the Regent and used...