Hope Diamond Makes Public Debut in New Setting

The Hope Diamond, one of the world’s largest and most famous jewels, has received a new setting.

The new design honors the 50th anniversary of jeweler Harry Winston’s donation of the blue-colored stone to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington.

The Smithsonian’s natural history museum debuted the setting to the public on Thursday. The new design, called “Embracing Hope,” wraps the stone in 340 baguette diamonds.

The setting was created by jewelry experts at the Harry Winston company and selected by the American public in an online vote last year sponsored by the Smithsonian Channel.

The diamond will remain in the new setting for a year before being restored to its original setting.

Harry Winston CEO Frederick de Narp told VOA the new design celebrates what he described as the “largest act of generosity” in the jewelry industry.

Historians say the Hope Diamond was formed more than a billion years ago about 145 kilometers below the Earth’s surface. Its origins have been traced back to India and its many famous owners include King Louis XIV of France.

The Harry Winston company also announced this week the creation of a new Harry Winston Hope Foundation, which will give the natural history museum $1 million for education programs. De Narp says the fund is also committing five percent of its pre-tax profits to education causes.