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Throughout history, the dazzling brilliance of diamonds and gemstones has captivated humanity. These precious stones have long symbolized wealth and power, driving individuals to extreme measures to possess them. From theft to betrayal and even murder, the pursuit of these gems has left behind a trail of dark secrets. While some fear the alleged curses tied to these stones, others remain undeterred by their ominous reputations.
As the saying goes, diamonds are a girl’s best friend. But what lies beneath their sparkling surface? Let’s delve into the stories of ten of the world’s most infamous cursed gemstones.
10. The Taj Mahal Diamond
Elizabeth Taylor, renowned for her love of diamonds, was frequently showered with extravagant gifts by her former husband, Richard Burton. Among these was the 68-carat Taylor-Burton diamond, a symbol of opulence. But Burton didn’t stop there. In 1958, he acquired the 33-carat Krupp diamond for $307,000 at an auction. Adding to her collection, he presented her with the Taj Mahal diamond in 1972 to celebrate her 40th birthday.
The diamond was first unearthed in South Africa and eventually came into the possession of Shah Jahan, the 17th-century ruler who commissioned the Taj Mahal. Legend has it that he gifted the necklace to one of his wives. However, another wife, envious of the gift, allegedly placed a curse on the precious stone.
Initially, the pendant hung from two silk cords tied around the neck, a design common among renowned Indian necklaces. Over time, the silk cords were replaced by a gold and ruby chain crafted by Cartier in 1972, mirroring the original silk design. This intricate chain, adorned with cabochon rubies and old mine-cut diamonds, fetched $8 million at an auction in 2011.
9. The Black Orlov Diamond
The origins of the Black Orlov diamond are shrouded in mystery. According to legend, the diamond was taken from a Brahma statue in India during the 19th century by a Hindu monk. The theft angered the deity, leading to the monk’s untimely death.
A century later, the diamond found its way to Russia, where it was acquired by Princess Nadia Vyegin Orlov, giving the gem its current name. Tragically, the princess later leaped to her death from a Rome skyscraper. This was not the first suicide linked to the diamond; in 1932, diamond dealer J.W. Paris also took his own life by jumping from a skyscraper shortly after purchasing the Black Orlov.
8. The Delhi Purple Sapphire
Legend has it that the Delhi Purple Sapphire, also known as the Cursed Amethyst, was taken from the Temple of Indra during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. Colonel W. Ferris, a Bengal cavalryman, transported the stolen gem to England, where misfortune began to plague him and his family.
Ferris’s health rapidly declined, and he lost all his wealth. His son, who inherited the stone, faced similar hardships and eventually passed it on to a friend. Unfortunately, the friend tragically took his own life shortly after receiving the gem. Ironically, the friend’s will returned the Delhi Purple Sapphire to Ferris’s son.
In 1890, Edward Heron-Allen came into possession of the amethyst. Upon acquiring it, he experienced a string of misfortunes. Unaware of the stone’s malevolent influence, he gifted it to a singer friend, who permanently lost her voice. Realizing the gem’s dark power, Heron-Allen threw it into Regent’s Canal, hoping to rid himself of it forever. However, a dredger recovered the stone and returned it to him. Desperate, Heron-Allen locked it away in a bank vault to ensure it would never resurface.
After Heron-Allen’s death in 1943, his daughter inherited the Delhi Purple Sapphire and donated it to London’s Natural History Museum, along with a note cautioning about its curse. The amethyst was displayed in 2007, yet many believe its curse remains active to this day.
7. The Koh-I-Noor Diamond
Hindus regard the Koh-I-Noor diamond as sacred, despite its infamous curse. Male owners of the gem have historically faced violent downfalls, suggesting misfortune follows any man who possesses it. When the diamond became part of the British crown jewels, only queens were allowed to wear it to avoid its curse. However, these queens outlived their husbands and children, hinting that the curse may have indirectly impacted them as well.
6. The Strawberry Leaf Tiara
Prince Albert designed the Strawberry Leaf tiara for his daughter, Princess Alice, but he passed away from typhoid before its completion. Princess Alice took the tiara to Germany upon her marriage, only to endure the tragic deaths of two children and her own untimely demise from diphtheria at 35, coincidentally on the anniversary of her father’s death.
The tiara was inherited by Princess Alice’s son, Ernst, and worn by his wife. Their only child died of typhoid, and the couple later divorced. Ernst gifted the tiara to his second wife, and their son Georg married Princess Cecilie. Tragically, Cecilie went into premature labor during a flight to the UK, leading to a fatal plane crash. Today, the tiara is held by the Foundation of the House of Hesse and displayed publicly, though no family member has worn it since, potentially halting the curse—for now.
5. La Peregrina Pearl
La Peregrina’s story begins in the Gulf of Panama, where it was discovered by an African slave. The pearl eventually became part of the Spanish Crown Jewels, and King Philip II of Spain gifted it to his future wife, Mary I of England, who would later be known as “Bloody Mary.”
Bloody Mary, a staunch Catholic, earned her nickname for her brutal persecution of English Protestants. During her rule, she oversaw the execution of over 280 Protestants by burning them at the stake, often wearing the pearl as she witnessed these horrific acts.
Mary married Philip, her love interest, though he remained indifferent to her, spending much of their brief marriage abroad. Mary died of the flu at 42, and Philip later proposed to her sister, who rejected him.
After Mary’s death, the pearl returned to Spain, passing through the hands of various Spanish royals, leaving behind a trail of inbreeding, affairs, and murder. In 1969, Richard Burton acquired La Peregrina at an auction for Elizabeth Taylor. Taylor redesigned the necklace inspired by a portrait of Bloody Mary wearing the pearl. Unfazed by its dark history, she kept it until her death in 2011.
4. The Black Prince’s Ruby
The Black Prince’s Ruby is believed to have been taken from its original owner, the Sultan of Grenada (Abu Sa’id), in 1366 by Don Pedro the Cruel, the King of Castile. Following numerous conflicts, Abu Sa’id traveled to Castile to surrender, but Don Pedro betrayed and killed him, seizing the ruby for himself.
Perhaps sensing the ruby’s malevolent nature, Don Pedro quickly gifted it to the Black Prince. However, he couldn’t escape its curse and was murdered three years later by his successor.
The Black Prince also faced misfortune, dying of dysentery without ever ascending to the English throne. The ruby then passed through several kings, all of whom met untimely deaths. Eventually, it became part of England’s Imperial State Crown, worn by Queen Elizabeth II, who lived to 96, seemingly unaffected by the curse. It’s speculated that the curse targets only male owners. Today, the Black Prince’s Ruby is displayed in the Tower of London—visit if you dare.
3. The Hope Diamond
The infamous Hope Diamond, the final entry among the world’s most cursed gemstones, has a dark history. Its curse began in the 17th century when gem trader Jean-Baptiste Tavernier stole the blue diamond from a Hindu statue. After a priest discovered the theft, he cursed anyone who owned the gem. Jean-Baptiste reportedly died of a fever shortly afterward.
The Hope Diamond later came into the possession of King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, both of whom were executed by guillotine. During the French Revolution, the diamond was stolen and recut by Dutch jeweler Wilhelm Fals. His son then stole the gem, murdered his father, and took his own life, leaving the diamond’s location a mystery for years.
When the diamond reappeared in the 1900s, its owners continued to face tragedy. Greek merchant Simon Maoncharides drove his car off a cliff. Evalyn Walsh McLean, an heiress to The Washington Post, purchased the diamond in 1912 and even placed it on her dog’s collar. Despite her wealth, she suffered the deaths of two children, her husband’s abandonment, and the loss of her newspaper. Her surviving children sold the diamond to a jeweler, who donated it to the Smithsonian Institution in 1958 after his house burned down and he survived a severe car accident. Today, the Hope Diamond is displayed at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.
2. The Eureka Diamond
The Eureka Diamond was reportedly discovered by the children of a Dutch farmer near the Kimberley Mine in South Africa in 1886. A neighbor with geological knowledge offered to buy it, but the farmer, unaware of its value, gave it to him for free. The neighbor took it to the Cape Colony’s chief meteorologist, who confirmed it as the first diamond ever found in South Africa.
Although no extraordinary events are linked to the diamond’s owners, the Eureka Diamond is considered cursed due to the tragic deaths at the Kimberley Mine. The site experienced the largest diamond rush in history, where thousands of miners perished due to poor living conditions, mining accidents, extreme heat, and shortages of food and water—all driven by the global demand for these precious stones.
1. The Regent Diamond
Legend has it that the Regent Diamond’s curse began in 1608 when a slave discovered the 410-carat gem in an Indian mine. To hide it, he concealed the diamond in a deep wound, a gruesome yet clever tactic. However, his plan failed when he was robbed and murdered.
King Louis XVIII and Charles X both owned the diamond at different times, only to be exiled or forced to relinquish their thrones. The Regent Diamond adorned Marie Antoinette’s hat and Napoleon’s sword, both of whom met tragic fates. Marie Antoinette was executed by guillotine, while Napoleon died in exile, living his final years in isolation and misery.
