1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:11,360 Welcome to the Gilt Trips Podcast. I'm your host, Kendra Lockhart. As a goldsmith and 2 00:00:11,360 --> 00:00:17,560 gemologist, I'll be speaking 24 carat on all things jewelry, metals, and gems. Join 3 00:00:17,560 --> 00:00:24,080 me plus a few friends to demystify both materials and designs as your private jeweler. Let's 4 00:00:24,080 --> 00:00:34,480 tune in on these topics and get golden. By definition, the word curse is said to mean 5 00:00:34,480 --> 00:00:42,680 a solemn utterance intended to invoke a supernatural power to inflict harm or punishment on someone 6 00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:50,000 or something. Enter humanity's awe with gems mysteries, their association with both wealth 7 00:00:50,000 --> 00:00:56,120 and health, the fact that they're used for power, and often acquired via ill-begotten 8 00:00:56,120 --> 00:01:02,560 means. Is it any wonder that the realm of superstition and paranormal properties are 9 00:01:02,560 --> 00:01:10,000 a possibility? What is humanity's obsession with good and bad luck? Why bother creating 10 00:01:10,000 --> 00:01:17,800 mythology about the mystique of jewels? We will find these answers and more in this episode. 11 00:01:17,800 --> 00:01:26,520 Your timestamps are in the show notes. Before we tackle our psychology with correlating 12 00:01:26,520 --> 00:01:33,480 stones to omens, events, or outcomes, let's address our historical unknown with nature 13 00:01:33,480 --> 00:01:39,720 and jewels. While metals have helped with the system and structure of circulated currency, 14 00:01:39,720 --> 00:01:45,120 gems have only been treated like money as trade by those who are already wealthy or 15 00:01:45,120 --> 00:01:50,840 economically elite. But there are more reasons with jewels to point us to giving them so 16 00:01:50,840 --> 00:01:56,200 much power as both health and wealth totems and talismans. 17 00:01:56,200 --> 00:02:02,400 Number one, folklore. Many people in periods throughout history have assigned symbolic 18 00:02:02,400 --> 00:02:08,480 meanings and powers to different stones and gems based on folklore or traditions. These 19 00:02:08,480 --> 00:02:14,840 beliefs then get woven in and passed down through generations, becoming part of a cultural 20 00:02:14,840 --> 00:02:24,360 fabric. Two, piezoelectricity. In practices like astrology and crystal healing, different 21 00:02:24,360 --> 00:02:30,520 stones and gems are believed to have specific metaphysical properties because a gem already 22 00:02:30,520 --> 00:02:38,600 has an inherent energy, it can influence a person's aura, emotions, or well-being. 23 00:02:38,600 --> 00:02:45,080 Three, esthevix. The color and appearance of stones and gems can evoke certain emotions 24 00:02:45,080 --> 00:02:51,360 and associations in people. For example, the color red may be linked to heightened anger 25 00:02:51,360 --> 00:02:56,600 or passion, whereas blue may be linked to calming and communicating. 26 00:02:56,600 --> 00:03:04,120 Four, in traditional medicine systems like areyveda or Chinese medicine, certain stones 27 00:03:04,120 --> 00:03:09,520 and gems are believed to have healing properties and are used in remedies and treatments. So 28 00:03:09,520 --> 00:03:16,560 this balances the concept of body energy or corrects imbalances or promotes health and 29 00:03:16,560 --> 00:03:18,720 wellness. 30 00:03:18,720 --> 00:03:26,400 And five, correlations. Individuals may have had personal experiences or anecdotal evidence 31 00:03:26,400 --> 00:03:32,660 that leads them to believe in the powers of certain gems. This can create a strong personal 32 00:03:32,660 --> 00:03:40,200 belief in the connection of stones for various purposes, such as protection, healing, or 33 00:03:40,200 --> 00:03:46,080 enhancing personal growth. 34 00:03:46,080 --> 00:03:50,600 Now that we've explored some ways that we've created personal and collective mythology, 35 00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:55,640 let's get into some gems that can make us victorious or victimize as they get assigned 36 00:03:55,640 --> 00:03:58,760 stories of good luck and bad luck. 37 00:03:58,760 --> 00:04:03,960 Pearls. Some say that brides should not wear pearls on their wedding day because they can 38 00:04:03,960 --> 00:04:08,320 bring sadness to the marriage. Others say that pearls are not suitable for everyday 39 00:04:08,320 --> 00:04:17,000 wear because they are porous. However, pearls can also symbolize purity, wisdom, and loyalty. 40 00:04:17,000 --> 00:04:19,880 Is this you? 41 00:04:19,880 --> 00:04:25,520 Black diamonds. In Italy, some believe that touching a black diamond with a spouse can 42 00:04:25,520 --> 00:04:31,640 bring good fortune and dissipate worries. Yet ancient India held the superstition that 43 00:04:31,640 --> 00:04:37,240 black diamonds were thought to be a sign of death because they resemble the spider's eye. 44 00:04:37,240 --> 00:04:42,400 Clearly this wasn't the case with certain black diamonds I'll be mentioning later. 45 00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:49,520 Opals. So many rules with this jewel. Allegedly only those born in October who have this as 46 00:04:49,520 --> 00:04:55,560 a birthstone are safe to wear them, and they should never be given or accepted as a gift. 47 00:04:55,560 --> 00:05:00,560 If they are gifted, bad luck can be negated by handing its giver a small sum of money 48 00:05:00,560 --> 00:05:06,520 to turn it into a financial transaction. My favorite is that engagement rings should 49 00:05:06,520 --> 00:05:12,160 never contain an opal because the new bride will quickly become a widow. 50 00:05:12,160 --> 00:05:19,280 Now this was once the most favored gems among ancient Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, and Arabs 51 00:05:19,280 --> 00:05:25,880 for both profit and prophecy. Despite Queen Victoria wearing and gifting them often, a 52 00:05:25,880 --> 00:05:31,160 thin tale was spread that it would still bring misfortune to those not being born in the 53 00:05:31,160 --> 00:05:37,200 month of October. The beers would even campaign against this to deter sales in America so 54 00:05:37,200 --> 00:05:43,720 that diamonds would be the top choice. And my favorite story is that of a New York jeweler 55 00:05:43,720 --> 00:05:49,400 who stopped stocking opals as clients who once had rings and brooches made years before would 56 00:05:49,400 --> 00:05:56,840 return saying, the cat died, the baby got sick, the neighbors are aghast, that we wear these 57 00:05:56,840 --> 00:06:02,680 forbidden stones. He said it was pretty bad for business. 58 00:06:02,680 --> 00:06:09,000 And lastly, citrine. Sometimes called the lucky merchant stone, it is said to attract 59 00:06:09,000 --> 00:06:15,360 positive energy, generosity, and good luck. Given that it has a bright, somewhat solar 60 00:06:15,360 --> 00:06:22,240 hue to it, we see the ease in the corresponding to vibrancy, abundance, and vitality. It is 61 00:06:22,240 --> 00:06:27,520 also thought to help people reach their financial and business goals. And many have put them 62 00:06:27,520 --> 00:06:38,280 in their wallets, money jars, purses, and mine happens to be on my cat's collar. 63 00:06:38,280 --> 00:06:43,880 Now let's get specific and talk about the top 10 famous cursed gems. 64 00:06:43,880 --> 00:06:51,800 First up, the black oar love. A 67.5 carat cushion cut black diamond, the black oar love 65 00:06:51,800 --> 00:06:58,520 is known as the Eye of Brahma Diamond. In the 19th century, a Jesuit cleric stole it 66 00:06:58,520 --> 00:07:06,680 from an ancient statue of the Hindu god Brahma. Who is Brahma? In Hindu religion, it is the 67 00:07:06,680 --> 00:07:14,280 main god of creation, the supreme divinity, and part of a trinity with Vishnu and Shakti. 68 00:07:14,280 --> 00:07:18,800 So it stands to reason that the thievery is what began the correlation to the black oar 69 00:07:18,800 --> 00:07:24,200 love's curse. And it's also important to note that the original version of this gem 70 00:07:24,200 --> 00:07:32,400 was 195 carats. In 1932, a diamond dealer took the gem to New York to try and find a 71 00:07:32,400 --> 00:07:37,720 buyer for this unusual stone. He ended his life by jumping from a skyscraper in that 72 00:07:37,720 --> 00:07:44,560 city just a few months later. In the 1940s, there would be two more owners who had leaped 73 00:07:44,560 --> 00:07:53,520 to their deaths. Both were Russian princesses. Leonilla, Baratinsky, and Nadia or Lav, for 74 00:07:53,520 --> 00:08:00,920 whom the stone is named. Both leapt from tall buildings while in possession of the diamond. 75 00:08:00,920 --> 00:08:07,120 Charles F. Winston would go on to cut it into three pieces to attempt to break the curse. 76 00:08:07,120 --> 00:08:14,040 The one we know now was set into a brooch with 108 diamonds and it doubles as a pendant. 77 00:08:14,040 --> 00:08:21,240 This would be acquired by a diamond dealer who swears the curse was broken in 2004. And 78 00:08:21,240 --> 00:08:29,360 later on it was viewable at the Natural History Museums in both New York and London. 79 00:08:29,360 --> 00:08:35,240 Next we have the Coenor and this name translates to Mountain of Light, famous for being one 80 00:08:35,240 --> 00:08:41,120 of the largest cut diamonds on the planet. Also, it was fought over by rulers all over 81 00:08:41,120 --> 00:08:48,360 the world and this has a particularly bloody history over the last 5,000 years. The diamond 82 00:08:48,360 --> 00:08:56,520 was captured and recaptured by India, Persia, the Afghanistan area, and the six. The Coenor's 83 00:08:56,520 --> 00:09:03,720 curse is rumored to have effect only men. Women are immune to its bad luck. Rumor had 84 00:09:03,720 --> 00:09:11,040 it that British soldiers stole the 109 carat loose diamond from the six. Until recently, 85 00:09:11,040 --> 00:09:17,520 the Coenor is still hotly contested. Afghanistan, Iran, and India all claim to be the stone's 86 00:09:17,520 --> 00:09:25,360 rightful owners, not England. However, that was debunked in 2018 by India's historians 87 00:09:25,360 --> 00:09:31,080 who said that the asset was relinquished to Queen Victoria. As for the part about women 88 00:09:31,080 --> 00:09:36,640 being immune to any tragedy befalling them, it is because the Coenor is specifically said 89 00:09:36,640 --> 00:09:46,560 to lead to the downfall of any prince or king who claims ownership. So where is it today? 90 00:09:46,560 --> 00:09:53,120 It rests in the coronation crown of the Queen Mother. Now Elizabeth II was crowned in it, 91 00:09:53,120 --> 00:09:59,120 her mother before her wore it, as did her grandmother. But a year ago, Charles became 92 00:09:59,120 --> 00:10:06,160 king and was coronated with this diamond. And, despite having parents with strong constitutions 93 00:10:06,160 --> 00:10:12,360 and longevity, he now has a cancer diagnosis that some are whispering and attributing to 94 00:10:12,360 --> 00:10:19,120 the curse. Now we have the Delhi sapphire. Guess what? It's not a sapphire. Guess what 95 00:10:19,120 --> 00:10:26,440 else? Also stolen from a temple in India. The Delhi sapphire is a deep purple amethyst, 96 00:10:26,440 --> 00:10:31,920 and it was a British soldier who took the semi-precious gem from the temple of Indra, 97 00:10:31,920 --> 00:10:39,280 the Hindu god of war. Great choice. The soldier endured such about a bad luck, he gave it 98 00:10:39,280 --> 00:10:47,240 away to a scientist, John Haran Allen. Immediately struck by misfortune, Haran Allen leaves his 99 00:10:47,240 --> 00:10:54,120 life work, and the poor guy tries giving the stone away twice, but is unsuccessful. In 1902, 100 00:10:54,120 --> 00:11:01,720 he reluctantly agrees to lend it to his friend. The friend has a series of unlucky events. He 101 00:11:01,720 --> 00:11:07,720 returns the gem to Haran Allen, who almost immediately begins to suffer again. He snaps, 102 00:11:07,720 --> 00:11:14,760 casts the stone into the regent's canal. And then, he must have believed he was rid of the curse 103 00:11:14,760 --> 00:11:21,520 once and for all. Not so fast, John. Some months later, the ring was dredged from the canal and 104 00:11:21,520 --> 00:11:27,680 taken to a local jeweler. The jeweler remembered setting the stone in a ring for Haran Allen, 105 00:11:27,680 --> 00:11:34,880 and believing he was performing a kindness, returned it to him. Much later, a friend asked to 106 00:11:34,880 --> 00:11:42,000 borrow the jewel, and once again, Haran Allen lends it out. This time the target was a professional 107 00:11:42,000 --> 00:11:48,360 singer, who never sang again after wearing it. Exasperated from loss and health issues, he packs 108 00:11:48,360 --> 00:11:54,960 his deli sapphire into seven boxes filled with charms, deposits it in the safe of his bank, 109 00:11:54,960 --> 00:12:01,920 with instructions not to be opened for 33 years after his death. Now it is on display in the 110 00:12:01,920 --> 00:12:08,520 London Natural History Museum, with strict orders not to touch it with bare hands. Let's move on 111 00:12:08,520 --> 00:12:15,000 to the Santsy Diamond. The Santsy is a 55 carat pear-shaped diamond with a pale yellow hue, 112 00:12:15,000 --> 00:12:23,400 and the curse begins with, wait for it, stealing from India. This time, a French soldier is responsible. 113 00:12:23,400 --> 00:12:28,840 The Santsy is believed to be cursed because it has disappeared and reappeared so many times in 114 00:12:28,840 --> 00:12:36,520 history. But the highlight is a French ambassador to Turkey buys it around 1570, and lets French 115 00:12:36,520 --> 00:12:42,320 kings like Henry III and Henry IV borrow it. He has his servant delivering the diamond to its 116 00:12:42,320 --> 00:12:50,000 next owner, King James I, except he's attacked by thieves. So the diamond is now stolen from 117 00:12:50,000 --> 00:12:58,000 the messenger and believed to be lost to robbers? No! The Santsy was found a few days later. Medical 118 00:12:58,000 --> 00:13:04,160 examiners discovered the diamond was inside of the servant's stomach during the autopsy. He had 119 00:13:04,160 --> 00:13:11,000 swallowed it so the robbers who would murder him could not have it. We move on to the Regent Diamond. 120 00:13:11,000 --> 00:13:18,760 This 140 carat gem with a faint blue tone is famous for decorating Napoleon's sword. The 121 00:13:18,760 --> 00:13:26,680 diamond gained notoriety after it was, once again, stolen from India. The slave who took it from the 122 00:13:26,680 --> 00:13:34,840 mine in India had to hide it in an open wound on his leg. He boards a ship for Europe in hopes of 123 00:13:34,840 --> 00:13:40,840 selling the diamond, but the ship's captain got word the slave was carrying an extremely valuable 124 00:13:40,840 --> 00:13:47,560 gemstone. So the captain merges the slave, sells the diamond for himself, and starts a long history 125 00:13:47,560 --> 00:13:53,160 of it being handed down through generations of French royalty. The Regent and the Santsy are 126 00:13:53,160 --> 00:14:00,200 both on display at the L'Oreau Museum in Paris. Now we have the Taylor Burton Diamond. This was a 127 00:14:00,200 --> 00:14:06,320 famous diamond sale at its time, an unprecedented value that gave it the title of the first 128 00:14:06,320 --> 00:14:12,720 million-dollar diamond. I include this in the list because Elizabeth Taylor said it bore the, 129 00:14:12,720 --> 00:14:20,000 quote, curse of divorce. Granted, she remarried the same husband and would be zero for two with the 130 00:14:20,000 --> 00:14:27,320 guy. But this is common in diamonds presented for marriage that end in failure. People are leery of 131 00:14:27,320 --> 00:14:36,280 what that gem could be carrying for its next bride. Time to discuss the Peregrina Pearl. Worn by 132 00:14:36,280 --> 00:14:42,760 Elizabeth Taylor at one time, this gem would plague female monarchs in Europe long before her 133 00:14:42,760 --> 00:14:50,600 Hollywood royalty. Queen Mary, also known as Bloody Mary, would not only be cursed with unrequited 134 00:14:50,600 --> 00:14:57,520 love for King Philip of Spain, but she would have a, quote, phantom pregnancy, unquote. The 135 00:14:57,520 --> 00:15:04,280 country starts to celebrate the future era, but there isn't one. More likely it was her reproductive 136 00:15:04,280 --> 00:15:10,640 disorder. The king leaves her for other mistresses, and she becomes famous for killing people who did 137 00:15:10,640 --> 00:15:16,920 not want to become Catholic like her. Next up, Queen Isabella of Spain is wearing it, starts an 138 00:15:16,920 --> 00:15:23,040 affair with one of the gentlemen of the court. That guy gets himself murdered later. It passes to 139 00:15:23,040 --> 00:15:28,680 Queen Marianna, who loses three of her five children, and the other two had difficult 140 00:15:28,680 --> 00:15:35,680 disabilities due to the inbreeding. Where is it now? The pearl was auctioned after Elizabeth 141 00:15:35,680 --> 00:15:44,200 Taylor passes for over $11 million, as it is an impressive 55 carats and shockingly symmetrical. 142 00:15:44,200 --> 00:15:51,080 This brings us to the Black Prince ruby. Let's start with the fact it is not an actual ruby, 143 00:15:51,080 --> 00:15:58,760 but rather a red spinel that is uncut. And it begins in the 14th century when Prince Abu of 144 00:15:58,760 --> 00:16:05,780 the Moorish Kingdom is losing his battle to Don Pedro the Cruel. The prince decides to surrender. 145 00:16:05,780 --> 00:16:13,720 Pedro says, come see me, let's talk. Oop, and murders him instead. Pedro finds this gem on 146 00:16:13,720 --> 00:16:21,640 the prince's body and claims it as his very own. Not too long after, Pedro's brother declares war 147 00:16:21,640 --> 00:16:28,720 on him. So Pedro has to buddy up with Edward of Woodstock, aka the Black Prince, who liked wearing 148 00:16:28,720 --> 00:16:36,520 dark armor, and fork over the gem as payment for protection. Now it is mounted in the British 149 00:16:36,520 --> 00:16:44,160 Imperial State Crown, and you can visit it in the Tower of London. And lastly, the Hope Diamond. 150 00:16:44,160 --> 00:16:51,800 I covered this one in the Cartier episode, but let's talk more about Evelyn Walsh McLean. She 151 00:16:51,800 --> 00:16:58,480 was presented with the blue diamond, but took a pass. It wasn't until her jeweler said it had bad 152 00:16:58,480 --> 00:17:06,120 luck. To which she replied, oh, then it will be good luck for me. Mind you, she was quite eccentric, 153 00:17:06,120 --> 00:17:13,760 hiding the Hope Diamond during parties or letting her dog sport it on its collar. But in the course 154 00:17:13,760 --> 00:17:20,160 of Evelyn's lifetime, her husband would leave her for another woman, and later die crazy in an 155 00:17:20,160 --> 00:17:27,360 asylum. Her son would be struck by a car in childhood. She would find her own daughter at age 24 156 00:17:27,360 --> 00:17:33,560 overdosed on sleeping pills. Evelyn would have to sell off everything she owned before pneumonia 157 00:17:33,560 --> 00:17:43,120 would claim her life at age 60. Now do you believe that gems carry the experience of good and bad 158 00:17:43,120 --> 00:17:55,440 luck, or is manifesting in misfortune simply the theater of our minds? Thank you for listening and 159 00:17:55,440 --> 00:18:00,280 learning with me. I would love you to share this project with people finding rear beauty in today's 160 00:18:00,280 --> 00:18:26,240 world and throughout our times. Until the next episode, keep your own stories sparkling.