Hope Diamond and things.

Friday, October 31st, 2008

I know why it's called the 'Hope Diamond.'

When I was in the
Smithsonian, I hoped to prise it from its case with a penknife. I failed. It is quite beautiful though isn't it?

But then, so is the Koh-i-Noor (Mountain of Light), a white diamond set in the Queen Consort's crown. I shall never forget that split second when the Queen Mother's gun carriage came out from under Horse Guards arch and the sun hit it - every dazzling colour of the rainbow. It is said that it can only be worn by God or a woman and brings a curse on any man who wears it. Load of crap, I think, but yea I am not going to try it.

So after the Hope, I moved across the room to a sheet of native copper, the size of a dinner table and tried to bend a piece off at the corner. It was too hard.

The Smithsonian is brilliant but like all great museums, you need to visit many times to see it all - and then many, many more times to savour it.