Cursed jewellery across the world

All that glitters isn’t gold…and sometimes, it’s downright sinister. Across centuries and continents, certain pieces of jewellery have carried more than just monetary value or aesthetic allure. They’ve been whispered about in royal courts, feared in private collections, and blamed for misfortune, madness, and even death. In this article, we take a look at some of the world’s most infamous cursed jewellery.

The Black Orlov

An exceedingly rare 67.49-carat cushion-cut black diamond, the Black Orlov diamond has a history shrouded in superstition. It supposedly originates from India, where it was once part of a statue of the Hindu god Brahma. It is said that it was stolen by a monk that was later murdered for the theft, with the removal of the diamond from the statue causing it to become cursed.

The diamond has since been tied to a string of suicides of those who have been unlucky enough to possess it - though the credibility of some of the stories is doubtful, as it has been difficult to confirm the identities of the dead. But whatever the truth behind them, it seems that the diamond’s curse has apparently been broken since it was cut into three pieces.

Hope Diamond

One of the most famous diamonds in the world, the Hope Diamond’s curse has been covered  extensively in modern media. Several members of the Hope family - from which the diamond gets its name - are said to have experienced considerable personal misfortune. Another famous owner of the diamond, Evalyn Walsh McLean, lost her son and saw the end of her marriage, both of which she attributed to the diamond’s curse.

The steely blue, 45.52-carat diamond now resides in the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.

Delhi Purple Sapphire

This stone, also known as The Gem of Sorrow, is thought to bring misfortune and deep sorrow, and is rumoured to have been stolen by a British soldier from a temple during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. As soon as the soldier returned home, he began to experience a series of unfortunate events, including financial difficulties and illness that struck several family members.

Edward Heron-Allen, a scientist and writer, acquired the gem in 1890 and soon felt that it had cursed him too, to the point that he tried to dispose of it by throwing it into a canal. But when the canal was dredged, the stone was returned to him. A professional singer friend also borrowed the stone to wear for a performance, but never sang again after that night. The stone was finally packed into several boxes of good luck charms, and after Heron-Allen’s death, it eventually made its way into The Vault, in London’s Natural History Museum.

Koh-i-Noor Diamond

The Koh-i-Noor Diamond is one of the largest diamonds in the world, and is currently set in the crown of the Queen Mother of the United Kingdom. During the Victorian era, a rumour began that the diamond would curse any ruler that wore it, but when Queen Victoria queried the rumours, they shifted to state that the diamond would only curse male rulers

Hesse Strawberry Leaf Tiara

The Strawberry Leaf Tiara has a bleak history, starting from its commission as a wedding gift for Princess Alice from her father Prince Albert in 1861. She lost two children in childbirth and would later die from diphtheria. The tiara was passed onto Princess Cecile of Greece and Denmark, who was killed in a plane crash along with her husband and children - but the tiara was found in the wreckage. It is now kept by the Hessian House Foundation, and is no longer worn in public.

Cursed Cartier

This particular Cartier watch has a dark past, believed to be connected to the deaths of the husbands of three women. Carole Radziwill, daughter-in-law of Lee Radziwill (sister to Jackie Kennedy) was given a watch that once belonged to Jackie Kennedy, and was in fact her daily watch when John F. Kennedy was assassinated. Carole’s own husband would later die of cancer at just 40 years old. Carole later gifted the watch to a friend whose husband would also die of cancer - meaning all three women lost their husbands while in their 30s, and while in possession of the Cartier watch.

High net worth home and contents insurance from Towergate

Your jewellery may not be cursed, but if it’s unique and valuable, you’ll want to make sure it’s as safe as can be - and that’s where high net worth contents insurance comes in. At Towergate, we can help you to find the best policy to fit your needs, so don’t delay, give us a call on 0344 728 2942 or email us at privateclientnorth@towergate.co.uk today to find out more.

Consistent with our policy when giving comment and advice on a non-specific basis, we cannot assume legal responsibility for the accuracy of any particular statement. In the case of specific problems, we recommend that professional advice be sought

Sources:

• womanandhome.com/fashion/cursed-jewellery-and-artefacts-in-history
• naturaldiamonds.com/historic-diamonds/black-orlov-diamond
• oldcutdiamond.com/the-hope-diamond-history-myth-and-reality
• vulcans-forge.com/blog/news/cursed-gemstones-the-delhi-purple-sapphire
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koh-i-Noor

About the author

James Cooper is a respected industry leader with around 10 years' experience in the home and property insurance sector. He works across a broad range of insurance product and policy development and delivery, including product development; customer sales and marketing; and P&L accountability.

Consistent with our policy when giving comment and advice on a non-specific basis, we cannot assume legal responsibility for the accuracy of any particular statement. In the case of specific problems we recommend that professional advice be sought.