Podcast Episode Description:

It's one of the most famous gemstones in the world—a stunning 45-carat blue diamond that supposedly left a trail of death and misfortune for nearly 400 years. But what if the whole curse was just brilliant marketing?

The Hope Diamond has one hell of a reputation. According to legend, it was stolen from the eye of a Hindu statue in 1660s India, triggering a curse that's allegedly claimed dozens of victims. French kings who owned it? Executed. Their children? Dead. Russian princes? Murdered by revolutionaries. American socialites? Lost their fortunes and their minds. Even the mailman who delivered it to the Smithsonian supposedly had his truck crash and his house burn down.

Sounds terrifying, right? That's exactly what jeweler Pierre Cartier wanted you to think.

In this episode, I'm diving deep into the history of the Hope Diamond curse and uncovering something fascinating: many of these tragic tales started appearing in newspapers right around 1910-1911, exactly when Cartier was desperately trying to sell the diamond to a wealthy American socialite who believed cursed objects brought good luck. Coincidence? I don't think so.

We'll trace the diamond's journey from India to the guillotines of Revolutionary France, from the palaces of Ottoman sultans to the living rooms of Washington, D.C. socialites.

Along the way, I'll fact-check every alleged victim of the curse and you'll be surprised how many of these stories completely fall apart under scrutiny.

Did Marie Antoinette's friend wear it to a party before being murdered? No evidence whatsoever.

So where does the truth end and the marketing begin?

Today, the Hope Diamond sits peacefully at the Smithsonian, where it's been curse-free for over 65 years. Apparently, all it took to break the curse was putting it behind glass and stopping the sales pitch.

Join me as I unravel one of history's most enduring legends and reveal how a clever jeweler may have turned a beautiful rock into a marketing masterpiece.

Content Warning: This episode contains discussions of death, execution, and historical violence. Listener discretion is advised.

Sources for this episode:

https://www.si.edu/sidedoor/ep-1-curse-hope-diamond, https://allthatsinteresting.com/hope-diamond-curse, https://www.reddit.com/r/creepypasta/comments/18si1u8/the_curse_of_the_hope_diamond_creepypasta/

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