The famous Hope Diamond, the pigeon egg-sized 45.52 carat gem which is known to be the largest of its kind in the world, has been set on a modern necklace at Washington's Smithsonian museum in honor of the 50th anniversary of its arrival there.

"We celebrate the 50th anniversary of this gift," Cristian Samper, director of the Museum of Natural history said. He called the diamond a "gift to the world."
The diamond is set on a new platinum and diamond necklace designed from French craftsmen.  The setting, titled "Embracing Hope," was chosen in an online poll last year.  

The jewel was donated to the museum over 50 years ago by famous jeweler Harry Winston and has become the second most-visited work of art in the world, after Leonardo DaVinci's Mona Lisa. 

According to Samper, the diamond has been insured for 250 million dollars.  "The Smithsonian institution doesn't put a price on it," he said, "It's priceless."
While the diamond will not be sold, the necklace will to benefit the museum along with another diamond worth at least a million dollars, says CEO of Harry Winston jewelers Frederic de Narp.  After one year, the diamond will be returned to its historic setting. 

On Sunday, November 21, the Smithsonian Channel will premiere a one-hour special on the story behind the Hope Diamond, from its origins in India in the Middle Ages to its arrival at the museum in a simple paper envelope in 1958.  In between, it was said to be part of the French crown jewels. It was bought by King Louis XIV of France in 1668 and disappeared during the French Revolution shortly before King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette went to the guillotine.  

The diamond rumored to be cursed. The blue gemstone turns fiery red under ultraviolet light, which is one of the reasons it is rumored to be cursed.   
"Since the Hope's arrival at the Smithsonian, the curse appears to have gone dormant," a rep for the Smithsonian Channel said.

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