Mrs Evalyn Walsh McLean, one of the owners of the famous Hope Diamond, a 44.5 carat stone which, legend has it, was stolen from an eye of a sculpted statue of the goddess Sita, the wife of Rama; and is supposed to bring bad luck to anyone who owns it.
The Hope Diamond's most eccentric owner, Mrs. Mclean had the stone mounted as a headpiece and later as a pendant from which she would suspend the McLean Diamond, 31.26 carats, and the Star of the East, 94.8 carats.
Mrs. McLean's sense of humor resulted in the stone being worn by her Great Dane, Mike. Soldiers in the hospital played catch with it and she loaned it to friends on several occasions. Mrs. McLean never considered the stone unlucky even though her own life was full of tragedy.
Her nine year old son was struck by a car and killed. Her husband divorced her and died insane and her daughter committed suicide. Mrs. McLean herself became a morphine addict. Two years after her death in 1947 the Hope Diamond, along with her entire jewelry collection, was purchased by Harry Winston.
text via Antique Jewelery University
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