Cursed Jewels to Die For—

Imagine having all the money in the world to buy whatever you want, only to acquire an outrageously expensive jewel that turns out to be a harbinger of doom, misfortune and even death.

There is an undeniable attraction to the world of fine jewellery, where opulence and rarity intertwine. But hidden beneath the glittering surface lies a darker side, a realm of mystery and misfortune. Cursed jewels, those wildly rare precious gems said to have brought sorrow and tragedy to their owners, have captivated the imagination for centuries.

These cursed jewels, like haunting spectres, have supposedly left a trail of destruction in their wake. Legends of their malevolence have been passed down through generations, adding to their mystique. From the infamous Hope Diamond, said to bring death and despair to its possessors, to the Black Orlov, rumoured to carry a curse leading to suicide, these jewels have acquired an eerie reputation.

What makes a jewel cursed?

It is said that cursed jewels bear the weight of a tragic history, their beauty tainted by the misfortunes associated with them. Some believe these gems are imbued with negative energy, while others attribute their curses to the wrath of ancient gods or supernatural forces.

One common thread is the untimely demise of their owners. Mysterious accidents, financial ruin and even death have befallen people associated with these ill-fated treasures. Whether coincidence, embellished history or pure invention, the stories have become almost as famous as the gemstones themselves.

Hope Diamond — the French Blue

The most famous cursed gem is probably the intriguing Hope Diamond. The brilliant blue stone was acquired by French merchant Jean-Baptiste Tavernier in India during the 17th century. Upon his return to France, he sold the diamond to none other than King Louis XIV in 1668. It was subsequently recut and became known as the French Blue.

During the turbulent years of the French Revolution, the diamond was stolen from the French Crown Jewels in 1792. It disappeared until a deep blue diamond appeared in London in 1812, remarkably similar to the French Blue. The stone was eventually identified as the recut French Blue and became part of the collection of banker Henry Philip Hope, from whom it acquired its present name.

After remaining in the Hope family for decades, the diamond passed through several dealers before reaching Pierre Cartier. Cartier persuaded American heiress Evalyn Walsh McLean to purchase the extraordinarily expensive jewel, embellishing its history with tales of a terrible curse.

McLean believed the magnificent diamond would bring her good luck despite the tragic stories surrounding it. Alas, her fortunes soon turned. Her young son died in a car accident, her marriage deteriorated, her family's newspaper encountered financial difficulties and her daughter died from an overdose of sleeping pills. McLean died in 1947, and her extraordinary jewellery collection was subsequently sold to settle her estate.

This blue, cushion-cut diamond, weighing a hefty 45.52 carats, is now safely ensconced at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington. It also helped inspire the fictional blue diamond necklace in the film Titanic.

Koh-i-Noor Diamond — Mountain of Light

The Koh-i-Noor is believed to have originated from India's Golconda diamond region, where some of the world's most breathtaking gemstones were discovered. Its long history includes Mughal emperors, Persian rulers, Afghan royalty and Sikh maharajahs, with the diamond frequently changing hands through conquest and political upheaval.

In 1849, the East India Company acquired the diamond from the deposed young Maharaja Duleep Singh under the Treaty of Lahore. It was subsequently presented to Queen Victoria, becoming one of the most controversial jewels in the British Crown collection.

Legends surrounding the Koh-i-Noor suggest it brings misfortune to male owners, while women may wear it safely. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the diamond has appeared in the crowns of British queens rather than kings.

When Queen Camilla was crowned in 2023, the Koh-i-Noor was not included in her crown, amid continuing sensitivities surrounding Britain's colonial past. Instead, Queen Mary's Crown was modified and reset with the Cullinan III, IV and V diamonds.

The diamond remains the subject of international demands for its return, particularly from India, Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan. Whatever one believes about its supposed curse, the Koh-i-Noor's turbulent history is undeniable.

Delhi Purple Sapphire — the Gem of Sorrow

This haunted object is actually an amethyst and has a remarkable history of supposedly bringing misfortune and deep sorrow to those who possess it.

The misnamed gemstone was allegedly stolen by a British soldier from the Temple of Indra in Kanpur, India, during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. According to the legend, Colonel Ferris returned to England and began suffering financial misfortunes that brought his family to the brink of collapse. When members of the family also became ill, his suspicions turned to the gemstone.

The story became even more sinister when a family friend who borrowed the stone reportedly died by suicide.

Eventually, the amethyst came into the possession of Edward Heron-Allen, a writer and scholar. He too claimed to experience a series of misfortunes. When he lent the jewel to a professional singer, she supposedly never sang again after wearing it.

Exasperated, Heron-Allen packed the Delhi Sapphire into seven boxes, accompanied by charms and a warning letter. He deposited it in a bank safe with instructions that it should remain unopened until 33 years after his death.

Heron-Allen died in 1943, but his daughter apparently had little interest in keeping the cursed inheritance. She donated the gemstone to London's Natural History Museum in 1944.

The letter accompanying the stone advised future owners to cast it into the sea. The mysterious Delhi Purple Sapphire is now displayed in the Museum's Vault.

There is, however, another intriguing possibility. Museum researchers have suggested that Heron-Allen may have invented or embellished the curse to promote his own supernatural fiction, including a story titled The Purple Sapphire. Perhaps the most extraordinary part of this curse is the possibility that it was a literary invention all along.

The Black Prince's Ruby

Not actually a ruby, but a magnificent red spinel weighing approximately 170 carats, the Black Prince's Ruby is one of the most recognisable gemstones in the British Crown Jewels.

Ruby or not, its legendary history is bloody and gruesome. The stone has traditionally been associated with Edward of Woodstock, known as the Black Prince, who supposedly received it from Pedro of Castile in the 14th century.

According to the tale, Pedro acquired the gemstone through a violent struggle for power before presenting it to Edward in gratitude for military assistance. Edward later died following a prolonged illness, adding another chapter to the jewel's unfortunate reputation.

The gemstone was subsequently associated with several English monarchs, including Henry V, who reportedly wore it at the Battle of Agincourt, and Richard III, who was killed at the Battle of Bosworth.

However, research published in The Journal of Gemmology has questioned whether the spinel in today's crown can be conclusively identified with the gemstone owned by the Black Prince. Its early history may be more legend than documented fact.

The magnificent red spinel now occupies a prominent position in the Imperial State Crown, above the Cullinan II diamond. King Charles III wore the crown after his coronation in 2023.

The Black Orlov Diamond — Eye of Brahma

Legend has it that the Black Orlov, also known as the Eye of Brahma, was originally an enormous black diamond weighing approximately 195 carats. It was supposedly prised from the eye of a statue of the Hindu god Brahma in a temple in southern India, surely a red flag for a run of bad luck.

The stone allegedly passed into the possession of Russian aristocrats, including two princesses whose lives ended tragically. Another supposed owner, American diamond dealer J. W. Paris, was said to have died by suicide in New York in 1932, shortly after acquiring the gemstone.

The stories became so persistent that the diamond was reportedly recut in an attempt to break the curse. The resulting 67.5-carat Black Orlov was eventually mounted in an elaborate diamond brooch, suspended from a necklace.

There is one rather significant problem with this terrifying history. The alleged suicides and the diamond's supposed origins in an Indian temple have never been convincingly documented. Much of its earlier history remains a mystery.

Its more recent history is easier to trace. The Black Orlov was exhibited by diamond dealer Charles F. Winson in the 1950s and later appeared at major exhibitions and auctions, including Christie's in New York in 2006.

The diamond was also associated with actress Felicity Huffman during the 2006 Academy Awards, although the famous necklace was not ultimately seen around her neck. Years later, Huffman was convicted in the American college admissions scandal. Perhaps merely contemplating wearing the Black Orlov is enough to attract bad karma!

These extraordinary myths span ancient rulers losing their empires, Russian princesses meeting tragic ends and great fortunes disappearing, all surrounding some of the most breathtaking jewels nature has produced.

While most of us will never own such gemstones, several are on public display, their remarkable histories now part of the rich fabric of the fine jewellery world.

Whether cursed or simply unfortunate, these jewels have certainly proved that extraordinary beauty can attract extraordinary stories.