Original subtitles

Narrator: IT’S NIGHT \h\hAT THE MUSEUM.

INSIDE THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION IN WASHINGTON,

THE LAST VISITOR HAS LEFT.

THE DINOSAURS ARE ALONE.

THE NORTH ATLANTIC RIGHT WHALE HAS ONLY GUARDS FOR COMPANY.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hBUT ON THIS NIGHT, SOMETHING STRANGE IS HAPPENING.

THE MOST FAMOUS AND MYSTERIOUS DIAMOND IN THE WORLD

\h\h\h\hIS BEING TAKEN FROM ITS BOMB-PROOF CABINET.

\h\hTHE HOPE DIAMOND, AT 45.5 CARATS,

THE BIGGEST DEEP BLUE DIAMOND \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hEVER DISCOVERED,

IS ABOUT TO GO UNDER THE DRILL TO REVEAL ITS INNER SECRETS.

HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF ATOMS \h\h\h\hWILL BE BLASTED OUT OF IT

AND OPEN UP A WINDOW

\h\h\h\hINTO A WORLD OVER A BILLION YEARS OLD.

Man: THE HOPE DIAMOND

\h\hIS ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST UNIQUE CREATIONS.

IT’S A LITTLE BIT LIKE A METEORITE

THAT’S FALLEN TO THE EARTH \h\h\h\h\h\hFROM OUTER SPACE.

Narrator: THE HOPE DIAMOND \h\hDOES NOT JUST CONTAIN

A SCIENTIFIC MYSTERY.

IT HAS ALSO SPAWNED A LEGENDARY CURSE.

\h\hWoman: IT’S GOT THIS FABULOUSLY COMPLICATED

AND DRAMATIC HISTORY.

\h\h\h\hTHERE ARE SO MANY TWISTS AND TURNS AND DRAMATIC EVENTS

AND HORRIBLE DEATHS ALONG THE WAY.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: BEHIND THE HOPE DIAMOND

LIES THE GREATEST JEWEL ROBBERY IN HISTORY,

A GLITTERING AMERICAN HEIRESS \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hSTRUCK BY TRAGEDY

AND AN EXECUTED KING AND QUEEN.

Man: THE IDEA THAT HERE’S \h\h\h\hTHIS DIAMOND

THAT HAS TOUCHED THE NECK OF MARIE ANTOINETTE,

\h\hTHAT WAS STOLEN FROM AN IDOL IN INDIA

AND HAS THIS MAGICAL POWER.

Narrator: FOR HALF A CENTURY

\h\hTHE HOPE DIAMOND HAS BEEN AMERICA’S CROWN JEWEL.

NOW, TO MARK THE ANNIVERSARY,

MASTER CRAFTSMEN AT HARRY WINSTON

\h\h\h\h\h\hARE CREATING A NEW SETTING SELECTED BY THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.

Man: WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE HOPE, YOU ARE NOT THE SAME.

THIS TRANSFORMS YOUR VISION INTO THE WORLD OF GEMS.

\h\h\h\hNarrator: THIS IS THE ASTONISHING STORY

OF THE HOPE DIAMOND.

Narrator: THE NATIONAL MUSEUM \h\h\h\h\h\hOF NATURAL HISTORY

IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

HERE, PROTECTED BY A THICK LAYER OF BULLET AND BOMB-PROOF GLASS,

LIES THE MOST VISITED EXHIBIT \h\h\h\h\h\hON THE PLANET.

\h\hIT ATTRACTS ABOUT AS MANY VISITORS AS THE MONA LISA.

WHAT MAKES THE HOPE DIAMOND SO SPECIAL AND ALLURING

IS ITS UNIQUE COMBINATION

OF SIZE, NEAR PERFECT CLARITY \h\h\h\hAND DEEP BLUE COLOR.

\h\hIT TOWERS OVER THE SINGLE CARAT DIAMOND

TYPICAL OF AN ENGAGEMENT RING,

BUT THE HOPE ALSO CONTAINS ONE MYSTERIOUS PROPERTY

THAT IS THE SUBJECT

\h\hOF A LONG RUNNING SCIENTIFIC PUZZLE.

ONE NIGHT IN THE LATE 1960s,

SCIENTISTS IN SOUTH AFRICA

PLACED THE HOPE DIAMOND \h\hUNDER ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT.

NOTHING HAPPENED...

UNTIL THE LIGHT \h\hWAS SWITCHED OFF.

\hINCREDIBLY, THE DIAMOND EMITTED AN ALMOST SUPERNATURAL RED GLOW.

IT CONTINUED TO GLOW \h\hFOR UP TO A MINUTE,

AN EFFECT NEVER SEEN BEFORE.

\h\h\h\h\h\hDR. JEFFREY POST, CURATOR OF THE NATIONAL GEM COLLECTION,

HAS STUDIED THE HOPE \h\h\h\hFOR TWO DECADES.

Post: THIS GLOW WAS SOMETHING THAT CLUED US IN TO THE IDEA

THAT THERE HAD TO BE SOMETHING ABOUT THIS DIAMOND

THAT MADE IT DIFFERENT \h\hTHAN MOST OTHER DIAMONDS.

WE’VE NEVER SEEN THIS INTENSITY IN ANY OTHER DIAMOND.

Narrator: BUT WHAT WAS \h\h\h\hTHAT SOMETHING

CREATING THIS MYSTERIOUS \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hRED GLOW?

SOME BELIEVED THE ANSWER COULD BE FOUND IN HISTORY

OR EVEN IN LEGEND.

BUT FOR THE SMITHSONIAN’S \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hEXPERTS,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIT WAS A QUESTION THAT ONLY SCIENCE COULD SOLVE.

\h\h\h\hTHE FIRST STAGE OF THEIR INVESTIGATION

WAS TO GO BACK IN TIME,

\h\h\h\hTO PLANET EARTH BILLIONS OF YEARS AGO.

WHAT EVENTUALLY BECAME \h\h\h\h\h\hTHE HOPE DIAMOND

WAS FIRST CREATED

AROUND 100 MILES BELOW \h\hTHE SURFACE OF THE EARTH

IN A LAYER CALLED THE UPPER MANTLE.

LIKE EVERY OTHER DIAMOND,

IT BEGAN LIFE AS A CLUSTER \h\h\h\h\h\hOF CARBON ATOMS.

UNDER EXTREME PRESSURE AND HEAT,

THE ATOMS FORMED INTO THE RIGID CRYSTAL STRUCTURE OF DIAMOND.

BUT TO GET TO THE SURFACE,

A DIAMOND HAS TO SURVIVE \h\hA PERILOUS JOURNEY.

\h\hPost: THE DIAMOND IS A PASSENGER.

\h\hWE’VE GOT MOLTEN MAGMA THAT’S NOW PUSHING, ERUPTING

TOWARDS THE SURFACE \h\hOF THE EARTH.

IT CARRIES THE DIAMOND WITH IT.

NOW THIS ERUPTION IS SO VIOLENT,

IT GETS TO THE SURFACE \h\h\h\h\h\hOF THE EARTH

IN A MATTER OF A FEW HOURS.

THESE DIAMONDS ARE TRAVELING \h\h\h\hAT 30, 40 MILES PER HOUR.

THE DIAMOND COULD HAVE BEEN DESTROYED DURING THIS.

IF THE DIAMOND TRAVELED TOO SLOWLY TO THE SURFACE,

IT WOULD CHANGE FROM DIAMOND \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO GRAPHITE.

AGAIN, THE DIAMOND WOULD BE DESTROYED.

YOU KNOW, MAYBE \h\hONE IN A MILLION,

ONE IN A BILLION DIAMONDS \h\hTHAT ARE DOWN THERE

ACTUALLY MAKE IT TO THE SURFACE.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: AFTER THE DIAMOND CRYSTAL

SURVIVED ITS JOURNEY \h\hTO THE SURFACE,

THE MOLTEN ROCK COOLED \h\h\h\hAND SOLIDIFIED,

ENTOMBING THE DIAMOND.

\h\h\h\h\h\hOVER MILLIONS OF YEARS, THE MOLTEN VOLCANIC ROCK ERODED,

RELEASING THE DIAMOND TO BE WASHED ALONG RIVERS

IN THE SUB-CONTINENT OF INDIA,

FINALLY COMING TO REST \h\h\h\hIN GRAVEL DEPOSITS.

\h\hAND THAT WAS WHERE, IN THE MID 17th CENTURY,

\h\hHUMAN EYES FIRST GAZED UPON THE LARGEST DEEP BLUE DIAMOND

THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN.

THE HOPE DIAMOND WAS ABOUT TO EMBARK ON A 350-YEAR JOURNEY.

IT WOULD POSE A SET OF RIDDLES

ENCOMPASSING SCIENCE, HISTORY \h\hAND A LEGENDARY CURSE.

\h\h\h\hBUT IT WASN’T UNTIL THE EARLY 20th CENTURY

THAT THE STORY OF A CURSE \h\h\h\hFIRST EMERGED

\h\h\h\h\h\hAND CAPTURED THE PUBLIC IMAGINATION.

\h\h\h\hAT THE CENTER OF EVENTS WAS A FAMOUS AMERICAN HEIRESS--

EVALYN WALSH McLEAN.

1910.

EVALYN AND HER HUSBAND NED \h\hARE ON VACATION IN PARIS.

THEY RECEIVE A VISIT

FROM ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST FAMOUS JEWELERS--

PIERRE CARTIER--

\h\hA MAN ON CONSTANT LOOKOUT FOR WEALTHY CUSTOMERS.

CARTIER TELLS EVALYN \h\h\h\hAN AMAZING STORY.

HE’S RECENTLY ACQUIRED A DIAMOND

OF UNPARALLELED COLOR, SIZE \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAND BEAUTY

AND WITH A HISTORY TO SEND \h\hSHIVERS UP THE SPINE.

THE EXPLORER WHO DISCOVERED IT, HE SAYS,

STOLE IT FROM THE EYE \h\hOF A HINDU GODDESS

IN AN INDIAN TEMPLE.

HE WAS THEN RIPPED APART \h\h\h\hBY WILD DOGS.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hEVER SINCE, THERE HAS BEEN A CURSE

ON WHOEVER OWNED THE DIAMOND.

A FRENCH QUEEN WORE IT AND WAS BEHEADED AT THE GUILLOTINE.

\h\h\h\hTHE NEXT OWNERS, ONE OF THE RICHEST FAMILIES IN EUROPE,

\h\h\h\hWERE PLUNGED INTO FINANCIAL RUIN.

BUT FAR FROM SCARING \h\h\h\hEVALYN AWAY,

PIERRE CARTIER’S STORY

ONLY WHETS HER DESIRE \h\h\h\hFOR THE DIAMOND.

\h\hRichard Kurin: EVALYN WAS TOTALLY TAKEN \h\hBY CARTIER’S STORY,

I THINK SHE WAS \h\hENTRANCED BY HIM.

CARTIER STAGE-MANAGED IT \h\hSO BEAUTIFULLY,

SO HE WAS TELLING THE STORY

\h\h\h\h\h\hAND ALL THE TIME HOLDING IN FRONT OF HIM

\h\hTHIS PACKAGE WITH THE DIAMOND IN IT.

Narrator: FOR CARTIER, \h\hEVALYN IS A PRIME CATCH.

SHE AGREES TO A DEAL--

SHE’LL BUY THE HOPE DIAMOND \h\h\h\h\h\hFOR $180,000,

OVER $4 MILLION \h\hIN TODAY’S MONEY.

BUT THERE’S ONE PROVISO--

IF THE LEGENDARY CURSE \h\hBRINGS ANYTHING TERRIBLE

WITHIN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS,

SHE’LL GET HER MONEY BACK.

EVALYN REVELED IN HER DIAMOND.

Kurin: SO HERE’S EVALYN \h\h\h\hAT HOME WEARING...

SHE’S WEARING A GEM \h\hAROUND HER NECK.

AND THERE’S THE HOPE.

SHE LOVED THE CAMERA.

SHE’D BECOME HER OWN \h\h\h\hKIND OF DIRECTOR.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: EVALYN WALSH McLEAN’S LIFE

\h\hHAD BEEN A TRUE RAGS-TO-RICHES STORY.

SHE WAS BORN IN 1886,

\h\hTHE DAUGHTER OF A GOLD MINER WHO STRUCK IT RICH IN COLORADO.

\h\h\h\h\h\hAT THE AGE OF 22, EVALYN MARRIED NED McLEAN,

WHOSE FAMILY OWNED BANKS, \h\h\h\h\h\hA RAILROAD

AND THE WASHINGTON POST \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNEWSPAPER.

\h\h\h\h\h\hBUYING THE HOPE DIAMOND WAS THE MOST EXCITING MOMENT YET

IN THE SPECTACULAR LIFE \h\h\h\hOF EVALYN AND NED.

Kurin: THEY LIVED A VERY OPULENT LIFE, HAD EVERYTHING.

THEY EVEN BUILT GOLF HOLES \h\h\h\h\h\hWHEN NED BECAME--

\h\hWAS CLOSE TO SENATOR AND THEN PRESIDENT HARDING.

SHE HAD FOUNTAINS AT THE ESTATE, SO THESE WERE--

THIS WAS LIKE BEING IN A MASSIVE HOLLYWOOD MOVIE IN A WAY.

\h\hNarrator: EVALYN OWNED MANY HOUSES.

THE LARGEST ONE STILL STANDING IS A FABULOUS MANSION

\h\h\h\hWHICH WAS ONCE THE MOST EXPENSIVE PROPERTY

IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

TODAY, IT’S THE HOME OF THE INDONESIAN EMBASSY

AND EVALYN’S GREAT-GRANDSON, \h\h\h\h\h\hJOSEPH GREGORY,

HAS COME TO VISIT.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hGregory: \h\h\h\h\h\hWHEN YOU FIRST WALK INTO THE ENTRY HALLWAY OF THE HOUSE,

YOU SEE THE TIFFANY GLASS

THAT’S IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ENTRY HALLWAY.

NOW, HOW MANY PEOPLE \h\h\h\hDURING THAT TIME

WOULD HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT?

NOT EVEN THE PRESIDENT \h\hOF THE UNITED STATES

\h\h\h\hCOULD AFFORD SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: CELEBRITIES, POLITICIANS,

EVEN THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT, \h\h\h\h\h\hWARREN G. HARDING,

ALL FLOCKED TO EVALYN’S PARTIES,

\h\hKNOWING THEY WERE IN FOR AN UNFORGETTABLE NIGHT

WITH THE HOPE DIAMOND \h\h\h\hAT THE CENTER

ON A MOST UNUSUAL MODEL.

Kurin: SHE HAD A GREAT DANE \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNAMED MIKE,

\h\hAND MIKE WOULD SOMETIMES WEAR THE HOPE DIAMOND.

Narrator: EVALYN NEVER BELIEVED THAT THE HOPE DIAMOND CURSE

WOULD STRIKE HER.

\h\hBUT NEARLY 10 YEARS AFTER SHE FIRST LAID EYES ON THE DIAMOND,

HER FAIRYTALE LIFE WOULD BE SHATTERED.

\h\hDEATH AND DISASTER WOULD STRIKE HER FAMILY.

IT WAS A SERIES OF EVENTS \h\h\h\hTHAT WOULD CEMENT

\h\h\h\hTHE IDEA OF A CURSE IN THE POPULAR IMAGINATION.

WAS THERE SOMETHING STRANGE \h\h\h\hOR SUPERNATURAL

ABOUT THE HOPE DIAMOND?

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hCOULD IT BE RELATED TO THE MYSTERIOUS RED AFTERGLOW

THAT SCIENTISTS FIRST NOTICED \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN THE 1960s?

\h\hPost: LOOKS VERY MUCH LIKE A GLOWING EMBER, FOR EXAMPLE,

IN A BARBECUE GRILL AT NIGHT.

YOU LOOK AT THESE GLOWING COALS,

AND THAT’S REALLY WHAT THE DIAMOND REMINDS ME OF.

Narrator: SMITHSONIAN SCIENTISTS WERE BEGINNING TO THINK

OF A DARING EXPERIMENT

\h\h\h\hWHICH THEY HOPED WOULD SHOW THE WORLD

THAT THE RIDDLE OF THE RED GLOW

WAS A MATTER OF SCIENCE, \h\h\h\hNOT SUPERSTITION.

BUT WHILE SCIENCE WOULD BE ONE TOOL

TO INVESTIGATE THE DIAMOND,

HISTORY WOULD BE ANOTHER.

\h\h\h\h\h\hWAS THERE EVIDENCE IN THE HOPE DIAMOND’S JOURNEY

TO SUPPORT THE IDEA OF A CURSE?

\h\h\h\hWHAT WAS FACT AND WHAT WAS LEGEND?

ONE THING WAS CERTAIN--

IN THE MID 17TH CENTURY,

\h\hA FRENCH EXPLORER, JEAN BAPTISTE TAVERNIER,

TRAVELED TO AN ANCIENT KINGDOM IN INDIA

IN SEARCH OF PRECIOUS GEMSTONES.

AT THAT TIME, INDIA WAS THE ONLY PLACE IN THE WORLD

\h\hWHERE DIAMONDS HAD BEEN DISCOVERED.

HISTORIAN OMAR KHALIDI

HAS STUDIED TAVERNIER’S OWN ACCOUNT OF HIS TRAVELS

TO A PLACE CALLED GOLKONDA.

\h\hKhalidi: IT WAS A TIME WHEN THE KINGDOM OF GOLKONDA

WAS AT THE HEIGHT OF ITS PROSPERITY

\h\h\h\hAND THE CENTER OF THE WORLD GEM TRADE,

\h\h\h\hAND THE PURPOSE OF TAVERNIER’S JOURNEY

\h\h\h\hWAS TO BUY DIAMONDS FOR THE ROYALTY AND NOBILITY OF FRANCE.

Narrator: TAVERNIER WRITES \h\hOF VISITING A TEMPLE

CONTAINING A LARGE HINDU IDOL.

Tavernier: "THE GREAT IDOL \h\h\h\h\h\hON THE ALTAR

HAS TWO DIAMONDS FOR HIS EYES,

AND THE SMALLEST OF THESE DIAMONDS

WEIGHS ABOUT 40 CARATS."

Narrator: TAVERNIER THEN RELATES AN EXTRAORDINARY STORY

OF A LOCAL JEWELER

WHO EXTRACTED A DIAMOND FROM ONE OF THE IDOL’S EYES

AND WAS HORRIBLY PUNISHED.

Tavernier: "AS HE WAS ABOUT \h\hTO LEAVE IN THE MORNING,

THIS THIEF, THEY SAY, \h\h\h\hDIED AT THE DOOR

AND THE IDOL PERFORMED \h\h\h\h\h\hTHIS MIRACLE

AS A PUNISHMENT OF SACRILEGE."

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: \h\h\h\hMANY INDIANS BELIEVED THAT DIAMONDS HAD INHERENT QUALITIES

WHICH, DEPENDING ON THEIR COLOR, COULD SIGNAL DANGER.

\h\hKhalidi: DIAMONDS HAD SIGNIFICANCE BEYOND WEALTH.

WHITE DIAMONDS WERE SIGNS \h\hOF PROSPERITY;

RED DIAMONDS WERE ASSOCIATED \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hWITH BRAVERY;

WHEREAS THE BLUE DIAMONDS \h\hWERE ASSOCIATED

WITH MISFORTUNES, ILL OMEN, BAD LUCK AND SO FORTH.

Narrator: ON DECEMBER 6, 1668,

\h\h\h\h\h\hTAVERNIER APPEARS AT THE FRENCH COURT IN VERSAILLES

CARRYING AN ENORMOUS \h\h\h\hBLUE DIAMOND.

THERE IS NO RECORD \h\hOF HIM REVEALING

WHERE OR HOW HE’S OBTAINED IT.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTAVERNIER’S CLIENT IS EUROPE’S MOST ILLUSTRIOUS KING--

LOUIS XIV OF FRANCE.

FOR HISTORIAN LUCY WORSLEY,

TAVERNIER’S GLITTERING DIAMONDS WERE THE PERFECT MATCH

FOR THE MONARCH WHO CALLED HIMSELF "THE SUN KING."

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hWorsley: WHEN LOUIS XIV WAS HERE,

THIS ROOM WAS FULL OF LIGHT \h\hTHROUGH THE WINDOWS,

FROM THE MIRRORS, FROM THE CANDLES,

\h\h\h\h\h\hFROM THE SILVER FURNITURE AND ALSO FROM THE KING HIMSELF

AND THE DIAMONDS THAT HE MIGHT HAVE BEEN WEARING.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: LOUIS WAS THE BIGGEST SPENDER OF THE AGE.

\h\hHE SINGLE-HANDEDLY SPARKED THE WORLD’S OBSESSION WITH DIAMONDS.

\h\h\h\h\h\hWorsley: LOUIS XIV REALLY CREATED THE MARKET IN DIAMONDS.

UP UNTIL HIM, THE JEWEL \h\hTHAT EVERYONE HAD WANTED

\h\h\h\hWAS THE PEARL, PEARLS WERE THE THING,

BUT SUDDENLY TAVERNIER \h\h\h\hARRIVES FROM INDIA

\h\h\h\hWITH ALL OF THESE FABULOUS NEW STONES,

AND LOUIS XIV BUYS 40 BIG ONES AND 1,200 LITTLE ONES,

\h\h\h\hHAS THEM CUT, STARTS WEARING THEM,

\h\hSUDDENLY EVERYONE WANTS DIAMONDS,

THEY’RE THE NEW CRAZE.

Narrator: TAVERNIER GROWS RICH FROM THIS NEW EUROPEAN CRAZE,

NETTING THE EQUIVALENT \h\hOF NEARLY $10 MILLION

FOR HIS INDIAN DIAMONDS,

BUT THE MOST DESIRABLE OF ALL \h\h\h\h\h\hAND LOUIS’ FAVORITE

\h\hIS AN ENORMOUS 115-CARAT DARK BLUE.

BUT LOUIS IS NOT FULLY SATISFIED

WITH THE DIAMOND TAVERNIER \h\h\h\h\h\hHAS BROUGHT HIM.

HE’S WILLING TO CUT DOWN \h\hA 115-CARAT DIAMOND

TO CREATE SOMETHING EVEN MORE DAZZLING.

THE SCIENCE OF CUTTING DIAMONDS TO ENHANCE THEIR BRILLIANCE

IS STILL NEW,

BUT LOUIS’ COURT JEWELER

\h\hWILL CREATE PERHAPS THE ULTIMATE EXAMPLE.

HE GRINDS AND POLISHES \h\h\h\h\h\h63 NEW FACETS

TO CREATE THE FRENCH BLUE.

\h\h\h\hIN THE PROCESS, HE SHRINKS IT TO 69 CARATS.

Post: IT WAS REALLY A MASTERFUL CUTTING JOB OF THE DAY.

I MEAN, YOU CAN ONLY IMAGINE HOW LONG IT MUST HAVE TAKEN,

HOW PAINSTAKING \h\hIT MUST HAVE BEEN

WITH THE TOOLS AVAILABLE \h\h\h\hAT THAT TIME,

BUT WHAT RESULTED WAS WHAT WAS CONSIDERED AT THE TIME BY MANY

\h\h\h\h\h\hTO BE THE WORLD’S MOST BEAUTIFUL DIAMOND.

\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: FOR FOUR DECADES, THE FRENCH BLUE IS IN THE EMBLEM

\h\h\h\hOF THE ORDER OF THE GOLDEN FLEECE,

PART OF THE FRENCH CROWN JEWELS.

\h\hBUT BY THE END OF THE 18th CENTURY,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTIME IS RUNNING OUT FOR THE DECADENT FRENCH ROYALS.

AND FOR THE QUEEN, \h\hMARIE ANTOINETTE,

DIAMONDS WILL NOT TURN OUT TO BE A GIRL’S BEST FRIEND.

\h\h\h\hIN JULY 1789, PUBLIC ANGER SPILLS OVER

INTO FULL BLOWN REVOLUTION

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAGAINST LOUIS XVI AND HIS DIAMOND-LOVING QUEEN.

PIERRE CARTIER WILL LATER RELISH TELLING EVALYN WALSH McLEAN

THAT MARIE ANTOINETTE WORE THE FRENCH BLUE

AROUND HER DELICATE NECK,

A NECK THAT WILL SOON BE CHOPPED BY THE GUILLOTINE.

THE CROWN JEWELS ARE MOVED \h\h\h\h\h\hTO THIS BUILDING,

THE ROYAL WAREHOUSE, \h\h\h\hFOR SAFEKEEPING.

THEY WILL NOT BE SAFE FOR LONG.

SEPTEMBER 1792.

A GANG OF PROFESSIONAL THIEVES

COMMITS THE GREATEST HEIST \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN HISTORY.

THE ROBBERS CLIMB UP THE OUTSIDE OF THE ROYAL WAREHOUSE.

THEY BREAK INTO THE JEWEL ROOM

\h\h\h\h\h\hAND TAKE OFF WITH A GLITTERING HAUL.

AMAZINGLY, NO ONE NOTICES THE THEFT

\h\h\h\hAND THEY RETURN OVER THE NEXT FIVE NIGHTS.

BY THE END, THEY GET AWAY WITH NEARLY ALL THE CROWN JEWELS,

A PRICELESS COLLECTION

THAT INCLUDES THE ORDER \h\hOF THE GOLDEN FLEECE

\h\h\h\hWITH ITS DAZZLING FRENCH BLUE DIAMOND.

IT WILL NEVER BE SEEN AGAIN.

\h\hSO WHAT HAPPENED TO THE FRENCH BLUE?

\h\hIN 1812, 20 YEARS AFTER THE THEFT

OF THE FRENCH CROWN JEWELS,

A MYSTERIOUS BLUE DIAMOND \h\h\h\h\h\hAPPEARS

IN A JEWELER’S SHOP IN LONDON.

A MEMORANDUM AUTHENTICATES \h\h\h\hITS SIZE AND SHAPE.

IT COMPARES TO THE FRENCH BLUE,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hBUT THERE’S ONE OBVIOUS DIFFERENCE.

\h\hIT’S A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT SIZE.

Kurin: THE FRENCH BLUE \h\h\h\h\h\hIS 67 CARATS,

A LITTLE MORE THAN 67 CARATS.

THIS GEM IS 44 CARATS,

\h\h\h\hAND THE QUESTION IS AT THAT TIME, IN 1812,

AT THE TIME OF THIS MEMORANDUM,

NOBODY WAS REALLY ASKING WHETHER THESE DIAMONDS WERE THE SAME,

SO THIS WAS THOUGHT TO BE \h\hJUST A NEW DIAMOND.

Narrator: THE NEW LONDON BLUE’S NEXT DESTINATION

HAS NEVER BEEN PROVED,

BUT THE FINGER POINTS \h\h\h\hTO NONE OTHER

THAN THE FUTURE BRITISH KING, \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hGEORGE IV.

Worsley: IT’S JUST SO TEMPTING TO THINK THAT GEORGE IV

WAS THE IDEAL PURCHASER.

WHO ELSE COULD HAVE AFFORDED IT?

WHO ELSE WOULD HAVE WANTED IT?

\h\hBUT WHAT WE DON’T HAVE IS ANY KIND OF DOCUMENTATION

FROM THE ROYAL ARCHIVES

\h\h\h\h\h\hOR CONNECTED WITH GEORGE PERSONALLY,

\h\h\h\hSAYING, "YEAH, I BOUGHT THE DIAMOND."

Narrator: IN 1830, GEORGE IV DIES.

\h\h\h\hSHORTLY AFTERWARDS, THE LONDON BLUE DIAMOND

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hREAPPEARS AGAIN IN DOCUMENTED HISTORICAL FACT.

IT’S BOUGHT BY THE MAN

WHO WILL GIVE THE DIAMOND \h\h\h\hITS FAMOUS NAME,

A WEALTHY BRITISH BANKER, \h\hHENRY PHILIP HOPE.

IN 1851 THE HOPE DIAMOND \h\hGOES ON DISPLAY

AT THE GREAT EXHIBITION \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN LONDON.

IT’S A SENSATION.

BUT A FRENCH GEM EXPERT NOW PUTS FORWARD AN EXTRAORDINARY THEORY.

\h\h\h\h\h\hHE SUGGESTS THAT THE HOPE DIAMOND

MIGHT BE A RE-CUT VERSION \h\hOF THE FRENCH BLUE,

WHICH HAD DISAPPEARED IN THE FRENCH REVOLUTION.

THE THEORY WOULD REMAIN UNPROVEN UNTIL AS RECENTLY AS 2005,

\h\h\h\h\h\hWHEN SCIENTISTS FROM THE SMITHSONIAN AND NEW MEXICO

FINALLY SOLVED THE MYSTERY.

USING COMPUTER-AIDED GEOMETRY, THEY MODELED BOTH DIAMONDS.

THEY THEN CREATED A REPLICA \h\h\h\hOF THE FRENCH BLUE

AND A MOLD THAT \h\hPRECISELY FIT IT.

THE NEXT MOVE WAS TO INSERT \h\hTHE SMALLER HOPE DIAMOND

\h\h\h\h\h\hINTO THE MOLD AND INJECT IT WITH WAX.

THEY FOUND THAT THE HOPE DIAMOND

\h\h\h\h\h\hWOULD FIT SNUGLY INSIDE THE FRENCH BLUE.

THERE WAS ONLY ONE CONCLUSION.

Post: THE HOPE DIAMOND \h\h\h\hTHAT WE KNOW TODAY

IS IN FACT THE ONLY SURVIVING PIECE

OF THE STONE THAT WAS \h\hORIGINALLY SOLD

TO KING LOUIS XIV OF FRANCE \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN 1668.

Narrator: SO DID THOSE \h\hWHO POSSESSED THE DIAMOND

DURING THIS MURKY PERIOD

SUFFER FROM A CURSE?

GEORGE IV CERTAINLY MET \h\h\h\h\h\hAN AGONIZING END.

HE DIED IN PAIN, OVERWEIGHT \h\hAND SUFFERING FROM GOUT.

FORTUNE WOULD ALSO NOT SMILE \h\h\h\h\h\hON THE HOPE FAMILY.

IN 1887, 21-YEAR-OLD \h\h\h\hLORD FRANCIS HOPE

INHERITS THE FAMILY ESTATE, \h\h\h\hART COLLECTION

AND FAMOUS BLUE DIAMOND.

BUT HE’S ABOUT TO LOSE IT ALL

\h\h\h\h\h\hTHANKS PARTLY TO AN AMERICAN SHOWGIRL

NAMED MAY YOHE.

Kurin: HE TREATED HER \h\hEXTREMELY WELL,

HE WANTED TO IMPRESS \h\hTHIS AMERICAN GAL.

\h\h\h\hHE ACTUALLY WAS PART OWNER OF THE LYRIC THEATRE IN LONDON,

AND HE ARRANGED FOR HER TO GET A CONTRACT THERE

AND BECOME A LEADING LADY.

\h\h\h\h\h\hHE FINANCED, HE OWNED THE NEWSPAPER,

AND HE REALLY PROMOTED \h\h\h\h\h\hAND MARKETED HER

BECAUSE HE WANTED HER TO SHINE.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: BUT FOR LORD FRANCIS HOPE,

\h\hMAY YOHE TURNS OUT TO BE A RUINOUS EXTRAVAGANCE.

TO MAINTAIN HER LIFESTYLE,

HE GAMBLES AWAY THE EQUIVALENT OF $75 MILLION,

SQUANDERING THE FAMILY FORTUNE.

IN 1901, MAY LEAVES HIM

AND LATER MAKES A HOLLYWOOD \h\hMOVIE OF THEIR LIFE,

\h\h\h\h\h\hBLAMING THEIR DOWNFALL ON THE CURSE OF THE BLUE DIAMOND.

LORD FRANCIS IS FORCED TO SELL THE HOPE DIAMOND.

HE DIES FINANCIALLY RUINED.

FOR SEVERAL YEARS, THE GEMSTONE CRISSCROSSES THE ATLANTIC,

LOOKING FOR A BUYER,

UNTIL FINALLY PIERRE CARTIER \h\hFINDS EVALYN WALSH McLEAN.

[JAZZ MUSIC PLAYING]

IN HER EARLY YEARS OF OWNING IT,

THE HOPE DIAMOND HAD BROUGHT EVALYN NOTHING BUT PLEASURE.

THE CURSE WAS JUST A STORY.

BUT THEN A SERIES OF TRAGEDIES STRUCK HER FAMILY

AND PROPELLED THE CURSE \h\hONTO THE WORLD STAGE.

\h\hWHILE EVALYN IS AWAY AT THE KENTUCKY DERBY,

HER 9-YEAR-OLD SON VINSON IS PLAYING NEAR THE ROAD

IN FRONT OF THEIR ESTATE IN NORTHWEST WASHINGTON.

\h\hTHE BOY RUNS OUT IN FRONT OF A PASSING FORD MODEL T.

[HORN HONKS]

[CRASH]

HE’S KNOCKED TO THE GROUND,

\h\hHIS HEAD SMASHING INTO THE CONCRETE.

Man: VINSON!

MY GOD, WHAT HAPPENED?

Narrator: A FEW HOURS LATER, \h\h\h\hVINSON WALSH McLEAN DIES

AND THE FAMILY’S MISFORTUNE BECOMES HEADLINE NEWS.

Man: GET SOME HELP, MAN.

Kurin: AND ON THE NEXT DAY \h\h\h\hIN THE PAPERS,

IN THE NEW YORK TIMES

AND FOLLOWING IN OTHER PAPERS \h\h\h\h\h\hAROUND THE COUNTRY,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hPEOPLE SPECULATED WAS THIS YET ANOTHER INSTANCE

\h\h\h\hOF THE CURSE OF THE HOPE DIAMOND?

Narrator: EVALYN WALSH McLEAN’S DREAM LIFE

IS SHATTERED IN AN INSTANT.

AFTER VINSON’S DEATH, THE BAD LUCK MULTIPLIES.

THE WASHINGTON POST \h\hGOES BANKRUPT

AND THE McLEAN FAMILY FORTUNE \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIS DECIMATED.

EVALYN’S MARRIAGE FALLS APART.

HER HUSBAND NED ENDS UP \h\hIN AN INSANE ASYLUM,

AND THEIR ONLY DAUGHTER COMMITS SUICIDE AT THE AGE OF 25.

\h\hEVALYN ALWAYS INSISTED SHE DIDN’T BELIEVE IN THE LEGEND,

\h\h\h\hBUT WHEN SHE DIED AT 60 AFTER A LIFETIME OF TRAGEDIES,

SHE HAD BECOME THE EMBODIMENT \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hOF THE CURSE.

HER LAVISH COLLECTION OF JEWELS WAS PUT UP FOR SALE

\h\hWITH THE HOPE DIAMOND AS THE STAR ATTRACTION.

WHETHER IT WAS SCIENCE, \h\h\h\hHISTORY OR LEGEND,

ONE THING SEEMED CLEAR--

\h\h\h\hTHE HOPE DIAMOND WAS UNLIKE ANY OTHER,

AND THE DISCOVERY IN THE 1960s OF ITS MYSTERIOUS RED GLOW

\h\h\h\hOR PHOSPHORESCENCE, AS SCIENTISTS CALL IT,

ONLY REINFORCED THE MYSTERY.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hPost: \h\hWHY DOES IT SHOW THIS, THIS VERY INTENSE PHOSPHORESCENCE

THAT SEEMED TO BE UNUSUAL

AND PERHAPS EVEN UNIQUE \h\hTO THE HOPE DIAMOND?

\h\hNarrator: TO TEST WHETHER THE HOPE REALLY IS UNIQUE,

JEFF POST NEEDS TO COMPARE IT \h\h\h\hWITH OTHER BLUE DIAMONDS,

BUT BLUES ARE VERY RARE.

JEFF AND HIS COLLEAGUE \h\h\h\hELOISE GAILLOU

TRAVEL TO NEW YORK CITY’S \h\h\h\hDIAMOND DISTRICT

\h\h\h\h\h\hTO THE ONE MAN HE KNOWS CAN HELP, A DEALER--

ALAN BRONSTEIN.

Bronstein: WE’VE GOTTEN TOGETHER ABOUT 90 BLUE DIAMONDS FOR HIM,

WHICH HAVE A VARIETY OF SHADES

AND HAVE A VARIETY OF SATURATIONS

AND GRAYNESS MODIFICATION,

SO THAT IS, THAT’S A LARGE NUMBER OF BLUE DIAMONDS

TO HAVE IN ONE PLACE TO STUDY \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAT ONE TIME.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: USING A SPECTROMETER TO MEASURE THE WAVELENGTHS OF LIGHT,

THEY FLOOD THE STONES \h\h\h\hWITH ULTRAVIOLET.

WHEN THEY TURN OFF THE LIGHT,

THEIR INSTRUMENT PICKS UP THE PHOSPHORESCENCE.

Post: OK, SO WE HAVE A REALLY STRONG PEAK

IN THE BLUE/GREEN PORTION \h\h\h\hOF THE SPECTRUM,

JUST THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT WE SEE IN THE HOPE DIAMOND.

WE WERE SURPRISED TO SEE THAT,

\h\hIN ALL OF THE BLUE DIAMONDS THAT WE’VE LOOKED AT SO FAR,

AND IT’S APPROACHING \h\h\h\h80 BLUE DIAMONDS,

\h\hALL OF THEM SHOW A PHOSPHORESCENCE.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: ALL BLUE DIAMONDS GLOW,

BUT THE EXPERIMENT SHOWS

\h\hTHAT EACH HAS ITS OWN DISTINCTIVE SIGNATURE.

SOME RED LIKE THE HOPE, \h\h\h\hOTHERS BLUE/GREEN--

AND NONE SHINES AS INTENSELY \h\hOR FOR AS LONG AS THE HOPE.

SO WHY DO BLUE DIAMONDS HAVE \h\hTHIS EERIE PHOSPHORESCENCE?

Post: THE FACT THAT WE ONLY SEE

\h\h\h\h\h\hTHIS PARTICULAR KIND OF PHOSPHORESCENCE IN BLUE DIAMONDS

\h\h\h\hSTRONGLY SUGGESTS THAT IT IS CORRELATED

WITH THE PRESENCE OF BORON.

Narrator: BORON IS AN ELEMENT \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hLIKE CARBON,

A BASIC BUILDING BLOCK OF NATURE FOUND, FOR EXAMPLE, IN SOAP.

BUT IT’S EXTREMELY RARE \h\h\h\h\h\hDEEP IN THE EARTH

WHERE DIAMONDS ARE FORMED.

THE HOPE DIAMOND GLOWS \h\h\h\hFAR MORE INTENSELY

\h\hAND LONGER THAN ANY OF THE SMALLER DIAMONDS,

SO WHAT IMPACT MIGHT BORON \h\hBE HAVING INSIDE IT?

TO FIND OUT, JEFF POST \h\h\h\h\h\hWILL HAVE TO TAKE

A SAMPLE FROM THE HOPE DIAMOND.

THE ONLY WAY TO DO THAT SEEMS \h\h\h\h\h\hALMOST UNTHINKABLE.

\h\hHE WILL HAVE TO DRILL INTO AMERICA’S CROWN JEWEL.

\h\hHIS EXPERIMENT WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE

IF THE DIAMOND WERE STILL ADORNING SOMEONE’S NECK.

\h\h\h\h\h\hBUT THANKS TO A SURPRISING DONATION,

\h\h\h\hTHE HOPE BECAME A SPECIMEN FOR SCIENCE.

AFTER EVALYN WALSH McLEAN DIED,

THE NEXT OWNER WAS THE JEWELER TO THE STARS, HARRY WINSTON.

MANY BELIEVE HARRY WINSTON WILL SIMPLY REMOUNT THE HOPE DIAMOND

AND FIND A NEW BUYER,

BUT HE KNOWS IT MIGHT NOW \h\hBE A HARD SELL.

\h\hMaurice Galli: THINK ABOUT IT THIS WAY--

HE KNEW OF THE CURSE STORY.

\h\h\h\hHE KNEW ALSO THAT THE COST ITSELF,

THE PRICE OF THE STONE, WENT INTO THE MILLIONS.

TO FIND A CLIENT WILLING TO BUY

A QUOTE, UNQUOTE "CURSED" STONE FOR THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY

MIGHT HAVE BEEN A HUGE PROBLEM.

Narrator: INSTEAD, WINSTON \h\hBEGINS TO THINK OF AN ACT

OF EXTRAORDINARY PHILANTHROPY--

HE WILL DONATE THE HOPE DIAMOND TO THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION.

\h\h\h\h\h\hBUT WHEN THE NEWS OF HIS INTENTION LEAKS OUT,

NOT EVERYONE IS DELIGHTED.

A VOCAL MINORITY IS PETRIFIED BY WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN TO THE NATION.

\h\hONE AMERICAN WRITES TO THE SMITHSONIAN...

Man: "WITH OUR NEIGHBOR RUSSIA

ABLE TO BLOW OUR COUNTRY \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO PIECES

\h\h\h\hIN A FEW HOURS OF MISSILE BOMBARDMENT,

IT WOULD BE INSANE TO TEMPT FATE

\h\hBY HAVING ANYTHING TO DO WITH THIS GHASTLY GEM."

Kurin: ACTUALLY, PEOPLE EVEN \h\h\h\hBYPASSED THE SMITHSONIAN.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHEY WROTE TO PRESIDENT EISENHOWER

AND THEY SAID, "ARE YOU CRAZY?

\h\hTHIS HOPE DIA-- THIS DIAMOND IS CURSED."

Narrator: BUT THE SMITHSONIAN \h\h\h\h\h\hDOESN’T FLINCH.

THEY ACCEPT THE DIAMOND.

\h\h\h\h\h\hYOU WOULD THINK WINSTON WOULD SEND HIS PRICELESS DIAMOND

IN AN ARMORED CAR.

INSTEAD, WHAT DOES HE DO?

WHAT HE ALWAYS DID.

HE MAILS IT BY REGULAR POST.

Broadcaster: TODAY, HERE CAME A BROWN PAPER WRAPPED PACKAGE

SENT BY REGISTERED MAIL \h\h\h\h\h\hFOR $152 POSTAGE.

NEW YORK DIAMOND MERCHANT...

\h\h\h\hNarrator: WINSTON’S UNUSUAL DELIVERY METHOD

\h\hENSURES NEWS COVERAGE THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.

\h\h\h\hBroadcaster: A GIFT TO THE SMITHSONIAN WORTH A MILLION DOLLARS--

THE HOPE DIAMOND, THE BIGGEST \h\hBLUE DIAMOND IN THE WORLD.

\h\hNarrator: THE JEWEL IS PUT IN A SPECIALLY DESIGNED SAFE

WHERE THE PUBLIC CAN VIEW IT \h\hTHROUGH BULLET-PROOF GLASS.

Post: WITH THE HOPE DIAMOND \h\h\h\h\h\hCOMING HERE,

HARRY WINSTON’S VISION \h\h\h\hSTARTED TO UNFOLD--

THAT IS, TO BUILD A GREAT NATIONAL GEM COLLECTION.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAS HE LIKED TO SAY, WE DON’T HAVE A KING AND QUEEN,

BUT WE SHOULD HAVE \h\hOUR CROWN JEWELS.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: 50 YEARS AFTER HARRY WINSTON \h\h\h\hGAVE HOPE TO AMERICA,

HIS COMPANY HAS OFFERED \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO CREATE

AN ANNIVERSARY PARTY DRESS \h\h\h\h\h\hFOR THE DIAMOND--

A NEW, TEMPORARY SETTING

USING MODERN DESIGN TECHNIQUES TO SHOWCASE ITS BRILLIANCE.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hde Laage: OUR RULE IN THIS STUDIO

IS TO START WITH NO LIMITATION.

WITH NO CONSTRAINT OF PRICE, \h\hOF SIZE, OF CRAZINESS,

OF ANYTHING.

\h\hGalli: WHAT YOU WANT TO DO IS ENHANCE THE COLOR AND THE SIZE

AND THE LIFE OF THAT STONE \h\hWITHOUT OVERPOWERING.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: FROM 25 INITIAL SKETCHES,

THE SMITHSONIAN SELECTS \h\h\h\hTHREE FINALISTS...

BUT THE FINAL SELECTION \h\h\h\hIS IN THE HANDS

OF THE HOPE DIAMOND’S \h\h\h\hTRUE OWNERS.

\h\h\h\h\h\hFrédéric de Narp: WE REALLY WANTED TO INVOLVE THE AMERICAN AUDIENCE,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHE AMERICAN PUBLIC, TO HAVE THEM CHOOSE THE NECKLACE

THAT WOULD SURROUND \h\hTHE HOPE DIAMOND.

\h\hWoman: THE FATE OF THE HOPE DIAMOND,

IT’S ALL IN YOUR HANDS!

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hMan: HOPE TAKES ON A NEW DESIGN FOR A FAMOUS JEWEL.

\h\hWoman: THE PUBLIC WILL GET TO DECIDE

WHAT SETTING IT WILL HAVE.

\h\h\h\hMan: STARTING TODAY, YOU CAN HELP PICK ONE OF THOSE SETTINGS.

Narrator: AS THE HOPE DIAMOND \h\h\h\h\h\hGOES ON DISPLAY

\h\h\h\h\h\hFOR THE FIRST TIME OUT OF ITS HISTORIC SETTING,

OVER 100,000 VOTES FLOOD IN.

\h\h\h\hCristián Samper: AND THE WINNER IS...

EMBRACING HOPE.

\h\h\h\hNarrator: CREATING SUCH A COMPLEX SETTING

WILL TAKE A POUND OF PLATINUM, OVER 300 BAGUETTE DIAMONDS,

AND MONTHS OF PAINSTAKING WORK.

BUT SOME MIGHT WONDER:

BY CHANGING THE SETTING, \h\h\h\hEVEN TEMPORARILY,

COULD THEY BE INVOKING \h\hTHE LEGENDARY CURSE?

Broadcaster: OVER THE CENTURIES, THE DIAMOND HAS ACQUIRED

AN UNSAVORY REPUTATION AS A PRODUCER OF BAD LUCK.

\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: WITHIN A YEAR OF ITS DONATION TO THE SMITHSONIAN,

\h\h\h\hTHE HOPE APPEARED TO CLAIM ANOTHER VICTIM--

THE MAILMAN JAMES TODD.

HE WAS INJURED BY A TRUCK,

\h\h\h\h\h\hHIS WIFE DIED AND HIS HOUSE BURNED DOWN.

OVER THE YEARS, LETTERS \h\hHAVE CONTINUED TO ARRIVE

AT THE NATIONAL GEM COLLECTION

WARNING OF THE CURSE.

\h\hBUT FOR JEFF POST, ALL THE CURSE STORIES

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hARE FANTASY OR SIMPLE COINCIDENCE.

FOR 50 YEARS, THE HOPE DIAMOND

HAS BROUGHT THE SMITHSONIAN \h\hNOTHING BUT GOOD LUCK

AND FASCINATING SCIENTIFIC PUZZLES.

FOR HIM THE REAL STORY \h\hIS BURIED FAR DEEPER,

IN THE SCIENCE OF ITS CREATION.

Post: IN FACT, IN MANY WAYS

THE MORE INCREDIBLE PART OF THE HOPE DIAMOND STORY

IS THE ONE THAT STARTED PERHAPS TWO OR THREE BILLION YEARS AGO

DEEP IN THE EARTH’S \h\hUPPER MANTLE.

Narrator: IT’S 7:30 PM

AT THE NATIONAL MUSEUM \h\h\h\hOF NATURAL HISTORY.

THE LAST MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC LEAVE, AND ALL GOES QUIET.

TONIGHT, JEFF POST WILL REMOVE THE HOPE DIAMOND

\h\h\h\hAND SUBJECT IT TO AN AUDACIOUS EXPERIMENT.

Post: THE GOAL OF DOING THIS WORK

ISN’T TO TRY TO DISPEL A CURSE.

\h\hTHE GOAL IS TO LEARN ABOUT THE HOPE DIAMOND

AND ITS HISTORY AND ITS ORIGIN.

Narrator: HE AND HIS TEAM ARE ABOUT TO DO THE UNTHINKABLE--

DRILL INTO THE HOPE DIAMOND

\h\h\h\hTO EXTRACT ATOMS AND UNRAVEL ITS DNA.

\h\hTHEY’RE USING A TIME OF FLIGHT SECONDARY ION MASS SPECTROMETER.

IT’S AN INSTRUMENT MORE OFTEN USED

TO TEST CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES,

\h\h\h\h\h\hFOR EXAMPLE, FOR TRACES OF STEROIDS.

THEY’RE ABOUT TO OPEN A WINDOW

INTO A WORLD MORE THAN \h\hA BILLION YEARS OLD,

WHEN THE DIAMOND WAS CREATED.

THE INSTRUMENT FIRES BEAMS \h\h\h\h\h\hOF TINY PARTICLES

CALLED GALLIUM IONS

\h\h\h\hONTO THE SURFACE OF THE HOPE DIAMOND.

THE IONS BLAST A CRATER INVISIBLE TO THE NAKED EYE

\h\hFROM WHICH HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF ATOMS

ARE SUCKED BACK \h\hINTO THE MACHINE,

WHERE THEY’RE SORTED BY WEIGHT AND COUNTED.

Post: IT SOUNDS \h\hA BIT DESTRUCTIVE

AND IN FACT IT IS A LITTLE BIT OF A DESTRUCTIVE PROCESS.

BLASTING IS PERHAPS TOO STRONG A WORD,

BUT IT GIVES YOU THE IDEA.

IT’LL BE GOUGING OR BLASTING \h\hA SMALL LITTLE TINY CRATER

INTO THE DIAMOND.

IT WILL SORT OF DRILL DOWN \h\h\h\hTHROUGH THE SURFACE

INTO THE NEXT SEVERAL \h\h\h\hLAYERS OF ATOMS,

\h\h\h\hKNOCKING OUT SOME OF THOSE ATOMS,

\h\hAND WE WILL BE MAKING A VERY TINY LITTLE HOLE

IN THE HOPE DIAMOND.

Narrator: HE HOPES TO FINALLY REVEAL EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED

WHEN THE HOPE DIAMOND WAS BORN.

TWO MONTHS PASS.

HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF ATOMS

HAVE BEEN EXTRACTED \h\hAND ANALYZED.

\h\h\h\hTHIS PHOTO, TAKEN UNDER ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT,

\h\hINDICATES AREAS WHERE THE SAMPLES WERE TAKEN,

BUT THE HOLES ARE FAR TOO TINY TO SEE WITH THE NAKED EYE.

\h\h\h\h\h\hTHE PRESENCE OF BORON IS JUST AS JEFF POST ANTICIPATED,

BUT THE HEADLINE RESULT

IS THAT THERE’S ONLY A TINY AMOUNT OF IT,

AND THE BIG SURPRISE IS THAT IT’S NOT EVENLY DISTRIBUTED.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hBORON MAKES THE HOPE DIAMOND BLUE,

BUT ITS UNEVEN DISTRIBUTION

GIVES A NEW INSIGHT \h\hTO THAT BLUENESS.

Post: THE HOPE DIAMOND PROBABLY ISN’T UNIFORMLY BLUE.

WHAT WE’RE SEEING WITH THE EYE

IS ACTUALLY A SUMMATION \h\h\h\hOF ALL OF THE BLUE,

DIFFERENT SHADES OF BLUE \h\hIN THE DIAMOND,

SORT OF A MOSAIC OF BLUES \h\h\h\h\h\hIN A SENSE,

AND THAT THE BLUE COLOR \h\h\h\hVARIES SLIGHTLY

WITH THE CONCENTRATION,

THE AMOUNTS OF BORON \h\h\h\hTHAT ARE PRESENT.

Narrator: BUT THE MOST \h\h\h\hSIGNIFICANT OUTCOME

IS TO SHOW THAT IT’S \h\h\h\hTHE BORON ATOMS--

ACTING WITH THE CARBON

AND ANOTHER UNIDENTIFIED ATOM \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN THE DIAMOND--

\h\hTHAT ARE PRODUCING THE MYSTERIOUS RED GLOW.

WHEN AN ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT RAY \h\hPASSES THROUGH THE DIAMOND,

\h\hIT STRIKES A CARBON ATOM AND SPINS OFF AN ELECTRON,

\h\hWHICH GETS TRAPPED IN THE UNIDENTIFIED ATOM.

AT THE SAME TIME,

A POSITIVE CHARGE SPINS OFF \h\hFROM THE CARBON ATOM

AND GETS TRAPPED IN THE BORON.

\h\h\h\hATTRACTED BY THE POSITIVE CHARGE,

THE ELECTRON JUMPS TO THE BORON ATOM.

IT’S THAT COLLISION THAT CAUSES THE BURST OF RED LIGHT.

THIS PROCESS HAPPENS \h\h\h\hOVER AND OVER

IN THE DIAMOND LATTICE,

AND BECAUSE SOME BORON ATOMS

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hARE FARTHER AWAY FROM THE UNIDENTIFIED ATOMS,

THE GLOW CONTINUES FOR UP TO A MINUTE.

SCIENCE HAS EXPLAINED

THE HOPE DIAMOND’S INNER SECRETS,

WHICH LEAVES ONLY THE CURSE.

BACK IN 1910, PIERRE CARTIER HAD TOLD EVALYN WALSH McLEAN

HIS AMAZING STORY--

THE EXPLORER WHO’D STOLEN \h\h\h\hTHE HOPE DIAMOND

FROM THE EYE OF A HINDU GODDESS

AND BEEN RIPPED APART \h\h\h\hBY WILD DOGS;

THE FRENCH QUEEN WHO’D WORN IT AND LOST HER HEAD;

THE FAMILY WHO’D BEEN RUINED.

\h\h\h\hALL STRUCK DOWN BY THE LEGENDARY CURSE.

\h\hAMERICA’S LIBRARY OF CONGRESS HOUSES AN EXTENSIVE COLLECTION,

\h\h\h\hWHICH RICHARD KURIN USED TO RESEARCH THE HOPE’S CURSE.

THE MORE HE FOUND OUT,

THE MORE HOLES HE DISCOVERED \h\h\h\h\h\hIN CARTIER’S STORY.

TAVERNIER WASN’T KILLED \h\h\h\h\h\hBY WILD DOGS.

HE DIED OF OLD AGE IN RUSSIA.

THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE THAT MARIE ANTOINETTE

EVER EVEN WORE THE FRENCH BLUE.

Kurin: YOU KNOW, WHEN IT WAS SOLD TO THE McLEANS,

\h\h\h\hTHE NEW YORK TIMES ON THE FRONT PAGE SAID,

"THIS IS AN ANCIENT CURSE."

AS I STARTED TO GO THROUGH THE HISTORICAL RECORDS,

\h\h\h\h\h\hI DID NOT FIND ANY MENTION OF ANY CURSE OF THE HOPE DIAMOND

BEFORE THE 1900s.

"REMARKABLE JEWEL A HOODOO."

\h\h\h\h"HOPE DIAMOND HAS BROUGHT TROUBLE TO ALL WHO’VE OWNED IT."

Narrator: IF THE CURSE WAS REAL,

ITS OWNERS COULD BE EXPECTED \h\hTO HAVE LIVED SHORT LIVES,

BUT DID THEY?

KURIN WENT BACK THROUGH THE RECORDS

\h\h\h\hAND INVESTIGATED ALL THEIR LIFESPANS.

\h\hKurin: THE AVERAGE LIFE EXPECTANCY OF PEOPLE

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHAT HAVE OWNED THE HOPE DIAMOND, DIRECT OWNERS,

IS ABOUT 72 YEARS OLD.

THAT IS QUITE A LONG LIFESPAN,

CONSIDERING THAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE, YOU KNOW,

LIKE TAVERNIER AND KINGS OF FRANCE

THAT LIVED IN THE 17th \h\h\h\hAND 18th CENTURIES.

\h\h\hYOU FIND THAT ACTUALLY PEOPLE THAT HAVE OWNED THE HOPE DIAMOND

LIVED EXTRAORDINARILY \h\h\h\h\h\hLONG LIVES,

LONGER THAN THE AVERAGE.

Narrator: THERE COULD ONLY BE \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hONE CONCLUSION--

THE CURSE WAS AN INVENTION,

THE BRAINCHILD OF PIERRE CARTIER,

\h\hWHO FABRICATED THE TALLEST OF TALES

TO WHET EVALYN WALSH McLEAN’S \h\h\h\hAPPETITE FOR THE DIAMOND.

\hCARTIER’S BRILLIANT SALES PITCH HAD CREATED FOR THE HOPE DIAMOND

A LEGENDARY MYSTIQUE \h\h\h\hTHAT ELEVATED IT

INTO ONE OF THE WORLD’S \h\hMOST VALUABLE ARTIFACTS.

IT HAS SURVIVED GREAT JOURNEYS, DRAMATIC DISAPPEARANCES

AND RADICAL RE-DESIGNS.

AND NOW, IT’S ABOUT TO GET ANOTHER.

HARRY WINSTON IS PUTTING THE FINISHING TOUCHES

ON THE HOPE DIAMOND’S \h\h\h\hNEW SETTING.

David Schwartz: IN ORDER TO CREATE A PIECE OF ART

THAT’S WEARABLE,

THAT ACTUALLY CONFORMS \h\hTO THE WEARER’S NECK,

IS ALWAYS A CHALLENGE.

AND WHAT WE ARE DOING \h\h\h\hIN THIS CASE

IS WE ARE ACTUALLY HINGING \h\hEVERY SINGLE SETTING.

\h\hAND IN ORDER TO CREATE THIS FLUID, VERY FEMININE DESIGN,

IN PLATINUM, WITH 300 STONES \h\hAND 60 CARATS OF DIAMONDS,

\h\h\h\hIT’S A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORKMANSHIP THAT GOES INTO IT.

WE’VE ACTUALLY ACCOMPLISHED \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hA NECKLACE

THAT WOULD NORMALLY TAKE ABOUT A YEAR TO MAKE

WITHIN ABOUT 8 MONTHS.

\h\h\h\hSO FOR US IT WAS A BIT OF A LABOR OF LOVE.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: DAVID SCHWARTZ AND HIS TEAM BRING THE COMPLETED SETTING

TO THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM.

Schwartz: THE EMBRACING HOPE \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNECKLACE.

Post: OH, MY GOSH. WOW!

THAT IS SPECTACULAR!

ALL WE NEED IS A DIAMOND IN THE CENTER THERE.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hSchwartz: YEAH, THAT’S ALL WE NEED.

IT’S READY FOR THE HOPE.

Post: IT DOES LOOK LIKE IT WAS MADE FOR IT, DOESN’T IT?

Schwartz: EXACTLY.

Narrator: NOW THE TRICKY PART.

IT’S BEEN A HUNDRED YEARS

SINCE THE HOPE DIAMOND WAS PUT IN A NEW SETTING.

[CLASSICAL MUSIC PLAYING]

[SAWING]

ONE WRONG MOVE COULD DAMAGE THE WORLD’S MOST VALUABLE GEMSTONE.

BUT IT’S IN MASTERFUL HANDS.

PAVEL BESPALKO HAS BEEN CRAFTING JEWELRY FOR OVER 30 YEARS.

[CLASSICAL MUSIC PLAYING]

\h\h\h\hONE OF HIS SECRETS IS LISTENING TO CHOPIN

TO MAINTAIN HIS CONCENTRATION.

\h\h\h\h\h\hWINSTON HAS BROUGHT HIS WORK BENCH FROM NEW YORK

\h\h\h\hTO ENSURE HE HAS EVERYTHING HE NEEDS.

Bespalko: THAT’S IT!

[APPLAUSE]

Narrator: A SINGLE SCREW \h\hIS ALL IT TAKES

TO HOLD THE SET DIAMOND IN ITS RIBBONS OF PLATINUM.

de Narp: I FIND THE DESIGN \h\hEXTREMELY INSPIRING.

I JUST PERSONALLY LOVE IT.

YOU REALLY SEE THERE \h\h\h\hTHE TWO HANDS

\h\hOF SOMEBODY HOLDING THE WORLD, HOLDING THE RAREST GEM ON EARTH.

AND IT IS A SYMBOL OF GENEROSITY

WHEN YOU PUT YOUR TWO HANDS \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hLIKE THAT.

Narrator: TO SHOWCASE \h\h\h\hTHE NEW SETTING,

THE MUSEUM HAS TAPPED \h\h\h\hA HOMETOWN GIRL:

ESTEE LAUDER MODEL HILARY RHODA.

\h\h\h\hRhoda: I’M ACTUALLY FROM CHEVY CHASE, MARYLAND,

\h\h\h\hAND THAT’S WHY IT’S ALSO REALLY NICE TO COME BACK HERE

AND TO THE SMITHSONIAN

AND SHOOT THIS AMAZING DIAMOND ON MY NECK.

IT DOES FEEL HEAVY.

I’M FEELING VERY EXPENSIVE \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hRIGHT NOW.

MY MOM AND I WERE WALKING INTO THE MUSEUM TODAY

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAND SHE’S LIKE, "YOU KNOW IT’S CURSED, RIGHT?"

AND I WAS LIKE, "WHAT? NO!"

I LOOKED IT UP, AND YOU KNOW,

APPARENTLY IT’S JUST AN URBAN MYTH, RIGHT?

I’M HOPING?

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: 50th ANNIVERSARY PARTY DRESS

WILL BE ON DISPLAY FOR A YEAR

BEFORE THE DIAMOND RETURNS TO ITS HISTORICAL SETTING.

\h\h\h\h\h\hPost: WE FOCUS A LOT ON THE HISTORY OF THE HOPE DIAMOND.

WE’RE THINKING ABOUT THAT

AS SOMETHING THAT’S ALWAYS \h\hHAPPENED A LONG TIME AGO,

WHICH IN A SENSE IT HAS,

\h\h\h\hEXCEPT TONIGHT IS PART OF HISTORY, TOO.

\h\h\h\hAND THE HISTORY OF THE HOPE DIAMOND CONTINUES.

AND AS LONG AS PEOPLE COME \h\h\h\hTO SEE THIS DIAMOND

OR HAVE AN INTEREST IN IT,

\h\h\h\hWHATEVER HAPPENS TO IT WILL BECOME PART OF THAT STORY.

IT’S FUN TO IN A SENSE

BE A PART OF THIS MOMENT \h\hIN ITS HISTORY

AND REALIZE THAT IT IS SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL.

Rhoda’s mother: HER BIRTHSTONE IS THE DIAMOND,

AND HER MONOGRAM IS H.R.H.,

HER ROYAL HIGHNESS, WHICH IS, I THINK,

VERY FITTING, VERY REGAL.

de Narp: THIS STONE CARRIES \h\h\h\hMORE THAN 350 YEARS

OF THE MOST INCREDIBLE HISTORY,

AND THAT MAKES THE HOPE DIAMOND THE RAREST GEM

AND THE MOST MYTHICAL STONE

ON EARTH.