The movie “Titanic” has become a cult piece of cinematography in the past twenty-something years. The reasons are many, with the veil of mystery surrounding the whole event being at the top of the list.
The infamous “Heart of the Ocean” has taken up a significant role in the film as a piece of jewelry signifying love cut short by tragedy.
Now, what if the Heart of the Ocean was to be found? Did the diamond even exist? How much is the blue diamond from Titanic worth?
Well, luckily, we’re here to tell you some interesting facts about this diamond and the price one would have to pay to claim this stunning gem as their own.
So, if you want to find out more, keep reading!
The Heart Of The Ocean – Real Or Not?
The blue diamond from Titanic was called The Heart of the Ocean, or Le Cœur de la Mer, and was gifted to Rose, the main character from the movie, by her then-boyfriend Cal Hockley.
Rose, now an elderly lady, throws it from a boat and into the ocean at the end of the movie. Since Titanic (the movie) was based on a true story, it’s completely logical that we would wonder if the diamond was genuine, as well.
But here’s the disappointing truth: There isn’t an actual diamond by this name; the “Heart of the Ocean” was completely made up for the purposes of filmmaking.
But, what’s interesting is that it was inspired by and modeled after a real, history-rich diamond called the Hope Diamond.
The Hope Diamond
Just like its film replica, the Hope Diamond has a fascinating and eventful past. So, since there is a lot of ground to cover, let’s get right into it.
The Tavernier Blue
When John Baptist Tavernier first discovered it in the mid-17th century in the Kollur Mine, it wasn’t called the Hope Diamond; quite the opposite. It hadn’t been named by anyone yet.
And, well, Mr. Tavernier was so mesmerized by the beauty of this gem that he decided to buy it and name it after himself.
The French Blue
In 1668, John Tavernier sold the diamond to none other than Louis XIV – the king of France. What’s interesting is the fact that this was the first recorded blue diamond in European history.
The French king referred to the gem as the “French Blue” or “Blue Diamond of The Crown.” He was extremely fond of this gem and wore it very often.
He also had the diamond reshaped several times, resulting in this blue diamond losing a lot of its initial weight – but gaining so much beauty.
Once the king had died, his great-grandson, Louis XV, became king and inherited the diamond. It was passed down to his grandson – who was married to Marie Antoinette, one of the most controversial figures in French history.
She was also a fan of the French Blue and wore it on many occassions. When the French Revolution started, this diamond was given to the government to be kept safe. However, it was stolen in 1792.
Reappearance
After being stolen in the 18th century, it remained missing until allegedly reappearing in the early 19th century in England.
An expert in London at the time believed it was, in fact, the French Blue, previously known as the Tavernier Blue. Some thought it belonged to King George IV and was sold after his death to pay his remaining debts.
The Hope Diamond
In the year 1839, it became known that Henry Philip Hope had an extremely rare blue diamond in his collection. And even though there weren’t records about how he had acquired it, we know that he named it after himself, ergo, the Hope Diamond.
The diamond was passed on through generations of the Hope family before it found its way to Pierre Cartier, the founder of Cartier jewelry, in 1909.
The last one to own it personally was Evalyn Walsh McLean, a socialite from Washington D.C. She had the diamond put into a necklace, alongside 45 white diamonds, which exist to this day.
After Ms. McLean’s death, her entire jewelry collection was purchased by Harry Winston Inc. – and could be found on display at many events worldwide.
It is currently in the Smithsonian Institute, on display, and can be seen by visitors.
Related Read: Silver Ring With Blue Stone Meaning
The Curse
It is believed that the diamond belonged to a statue of a Hindi goddess. Once it was removed, the vengeance of this goddess ensued.
Almost all owners of this stunning diamond suffered, either in their lifetime or on their deathbed. As far as Mr. Tavernier goes, he was rumored to have been torn apart by dogs not long after he had sold the diamond.
King Louis XIV died of gangrene, and all but one of his children died at a very young age.
King Louis XV didn’t seem to be punished by the diamond, but his son and son’s wife indeed were. We all know that King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were both killed on the guillotine.
While in possession of the Hope’s, the diamond was believed to have caused many scandals and diseases.
Ms. McLean was met with loss and mental illness in her life. Her daughter ended up dying at the age of 25 of a drug overdose, which left Ms. McLean with grief – accompanied by a considerable debt made by her daughter. And she herself died at a mental institution.
The Worth Of The Hope Diamond
As we’ve seen, the Hope Diamond has a rich and fascinating history. Aside from that, it is an extremely rare and valuable diamond.
It’s a precious 45.52 carat stone, and as of 2021, its price is estimated to be about $350 million. However, it’s not on sale, so don’t get your hopes up just yet; the diamond is kept on display at the Smithsonian Institute.
So, if you had a casual 350 million dollars laying around and were looking to spend it all on an extremely rare – and potentially cursed – blue diamond, you’re out of luck on this one.
See Also: Heart Shaped Diamonds: Everything You Need To Know
The Movie Prop
As far as the “Heart of the Ocean” goes, we’ve established that it isn’t a genuine diamond – and its worth cannot be estimated the way a natural diamond’s worth is.
However, that doesn’t mean that it’s absolutely worthless. The original prop used in the making of the Titanic is a valuable piece, mainly because it’s part of cinematic history.
It’s estimated to be worth about $10.000 and is kept in the archives of Twentieth Century Fox.
Conclusion
Curiosity is one hell of a drug, and it has led you to this article, wondering just how much is the blue diamond from Titanic worth.
Well, we’ve hopefully managed to answer your question, even though it wasn’t a straightforward answer.
Here’s a quick recap of the most interesting facts about the “Heart of the Ocean” and the French Blue – two blue diamonds that still fascinate people worldwide:
The Heart of the Ocean is not a real diamond but rather a movie prop. However, it was modeled after an actual diamond – now known as the Hope Diamond.
This gem has a turbulent history, making its way through the hands of French kings and Marie Antoinette, then being stolen and popping up in different locations, being in possession of the Hope family, and ending up in the collection of Ms. McLean, an American socialite of the time.
Its journey had finally led it to Harry Winston Inc. and then to the Smithsonian Institute, where it resides today.
The Hope Diamond isn’t only famous for its beauty, though. It is famously thought to be cursed, too.
Regardless of the potential bad luck that it brings, it is extremely rare and extremely precious – making its estimated worth about $350 million.
As far as the Heart of the Ocean from the movie Titanic goes, it costs about $10.000 and is still kept by Twentieth Century Fox.
So, now that you’re all caught up on this fascinating topic, you can move on to researching other notorious diamonds.
Enjoy!
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