FeatureGems & Gemology, Summer 1989, Vol. 25, No. 2

Grading the Hope Diamond

Robert Crowningshield

For the first time ever, the famous Hope diamond was graded by a widely recognized system. Although the 45.52-ct weight was confirmed, the GIA Gem Trade Laboratory graders found the clarity—recently reported as "apparently flawless”—to be VS 1 . Color graded "fancy dark grayish blue,'' the Hope phosphoresces an exciting red to short-wave U. V. radiation.