Section 03, Detail ASYJAPANRH
The Hope Diamond
The Hope Diamond is a 45-carat blue diamond about the size of a walnut.
A French merchant obtained it from a mine in India and first put it on display in the 1600s. Since then, it has become one of the most treasured and storied gems in the world.
Blue diamonds are extremely rare. Only about one in one hundred thousand diamonds is brightly colored, and blue is one of the rarest colors. A huge blue diamond is incredibly rare.
Since 1958, the Hope Diamond has been on display at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC.
It is said to be insured for a value of $250,000,000.
The huge diamond on display at the Smithsonian, surrounded by armed guards and a very elaborate security system, is actually a replica. It is a blue piece of glass that has a street value of seventy-five cents.
The real gem was stolen from the museum several years ago.
A tiny radio transmitter is attached to the true Hope Diamond. It emits a continuous signal broadcasting the gem’s whereabouts. Anyone with a receiver tuned to the correct frequency can pinpoint the location of the precious gem once they get within a few miles.