WASHINGTON — The Hope Diamond is going bare to celebrate a half-century at the Smithsonian.
The mysterious blue gem was donated to the National Museum of Natural History more than 50 years ago, and the museum is celebrating by having a new setting designed. Starting in September, the 45.52-carat diamond will be exhibited as a stand-alone gem with no setting.
New York jeweler Harry Winston donated the fabled diamond to the museum, and his firm is designing three possible new settings. Starting today, the public can vote online for its favorite at . The winning setting will be announced this fall, and the gem will be shown in the setting starting in May to mark the premiere of a Smithsonian Channel documentary on the diamond.
The diamond has been removed from its setting for cleaning from time to time, but this is the first time it will be on public view by itself.
