www.whyville.net Apr 20, 2008 Weekly Issue



msof57
Times Writer

Hoping for a Diamond

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Diamonds are rare. Diamonds are sparkly. Diamond's are a girl's best friend. So what is a diamond?

"A pure or nearly pure, extremely hard form of carbon, naturally crystallized in the isometric system. " -Dictionary.com

So we now know diamond is . . . carbon! But I'm not here to talk about just diamonds. I'm here to talk about the Hope Diamond!

The diamond's history goes back to the 17th century to a French merchant traveler named Jean Baptiste Tavernier who purchased a purchased a 112 3/16-carat blue diamond. The color is the diamond was described as a "beautiful violet." Tavernier sold the diamond to King Louis XIV of France in 1668. The stone was recut over and and over again until in 1791 the stone was handed over to the French government as King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette fled France. But in less than a week the French diamond was stolen.

Then suddenly in 1812 a deep blue diamond was documented by John Francillion to be owned by Daniel Eliason. The diamond was recut again. The diamond's next owner appeared in 1839 in the gem collection of Henry Philip Hope, the name the diamond took after. The diamond then passed to his nephew Henry Thomas Hope and then to the nephew's grandson, Lord Francis Hope. Then Francis used the diamond to pay off his debt.

In 1910 the diamond went to probably the most famous owner, Ms. Evalyn Walsh McLean. Ms. McLean owned the diamond until 1947. Later the Hope Diamond was donated to the Smithsonian where it still is today.

Here are a few pictures of the Hope Diamond:

There is another necklace based off the Hope Diamond:

I'll give you a few hints.

1. The diamond is named after an organ and a name for a body of water.
2. It is not a real diamond, it was one made in a famous movie.
3. The movie starred Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio.

On Wednesday, April 23, from 6-9 PM, the first one to y-mail me the correct name of the necklace will receive 100 clams and an exclusive:

Titanic Necklace request
by MagicBox

This is msof57 awaiting the answers. *quack*

 

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