Evalyn Walsh Mclean and the Hope Diamond

The Hope Diamond is the largest and most perfect
blue diamond in existence, yet it is its varied history
that captures the interest of a young, rich heiress.
Evalyn Walsh Mclean was the heiress to the
Washington Post. She lived a flamboyant lifestyle,
with a taste for jewelry-expensive jewelry.

In 1911, Pierre Cartier met with Evalyn and her
husband Ned at the Hotel Bristol in Paris carrying a
curious little package with a wax seal. Previously,
Cartier had sold to Mrs. Mclean a ninety five carat
white diamond – The Star of The East- for $120,000.
Since Evalyn Mclean had previously told Pierre Cartier
that objects usually considered bad luck turned to
good luck for her. Cartier made sure to mention the
Hope Diamond‘s negative history to her. Though she
is very interested with the long and varied history of
the Hope Diamond, she didn’t like the setting, she
didn’t buy it.

Cartier visited the Mcleans a few months later, having
reset the Hope Diamond into a new mounting, he
offered Evalyn to keep it for a few days. Cartier
hoped that she would grow attached to it, and she
did. She put it on her dresser and she looked and
looked at it, until she put it around her neck and
hooked her life to its destiny for good or evil. The deal
closes at $180,000. For the young and impetuous
heiress, the Hope Diamond’s fascinating past is the
hot selling point.

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