The name Hope when attached to jewelry may sound familiar, after all any serious jewelry lover has likely heard of the Hope diamond that resides at the Smithsonian in Washington D.C.; but another gemstone with the Hope name attached to it-the Hope Spinel- is now up for sale at Bonhams London.
Spinels are incredible gemstones that have often been confused for Rubies,and even set in crown jewels as such. This 50 carat octagonal step cut stone has quite the interesting history being part of the banker Henry Phillip Hope’s personal collection until his death in 1839. It was then sold in 1917 for $1,600 equivalent to $120,000 today. It ended up in the collection of Lady Mount Stephen, a Canadian philanthropist, and was passed down through her family, eventually ending up with a niece who is putting it up for sale.
Estimates put the stone at $240-310K value, but it is possible that the price could exceed that, considering the provenance and quality of the stone.
The stone is surrounded by 6.50 carats of old brilliant and rose cut diamonds, mounted in gold and silver. It can be worn as brooch/pendant.