TheCurseoftheHopeDiamond
ScientificexpertstrytouncoverthesecretsoftheHopeDiamond,a45-carat,deep-bluegemstonethathasbeenhousedintheSmithsonianNationalMuseumofNaturalHistoryinWashington,DC,forthepast50years.Rankedasthemostvaluablediamondintheworld.
Whydoesithaveauniqueredafterglow?Howdiditcometobetheshapeitistoday?Andwhyisitbelievedbysomanytobecursed?SinceitsdiscoverycenturiesagointhediamondminesofIndia,theHopeDiamondhastravelledacrossthreecontinentsandintothehandsofamostextraordinarycastofcharacters,fromflamboyantroyalstoopportunethievesandeccentricmillionaires.Allegedlyacursetothosewhoownit,thediamondhasinspiredcenturiesofsuperstitionandpassion.Today,thisdeepblue,forty-fivecaratgemisoneofthegreatattractionsoftheSmithsonianInstitutioninAmerica.
Inthisprogrammewitnessamajorscientificexplorationintothehugegem'suniqueandmysteriousstructure.Bycombininghigh-techscientificinvestigationwithhistoricalrecords,CurseofTheHopeDiamondwilltacklethemostgrippingquestionsaroundthismysteriousdiamond.PresentedbyLucyWorsley