“As coloured diamond expert Stephen Hofer points out, blue diamonds similar to the Hope can be shown by colorimetric measurements to be grayer (lower in saturation) than blue sapphires. In 1996 The Gemological Institute of America’s Gem Trade Lab (GIA-GTL) examined the diamond and using their proprietary scale, graded it fancy deep grayish blue. Visually, the gray modifier (mask) is so dark (indigo) that it produces an “inky” effect appearing almost blackish-blue in incandescent light…”

Zzzz…Wha? Did we miss anything? Oh, no—it’s just the Hope Diamond. Biggest tourist trap in the entire museum. As seasoned museum veterans, we went into said trap as investigative reporting, visiting the Hope Diamond so that you don’t have to! (Seriously, go look at the dinosaur bones or see an IMAX movie or something.)

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{Museum of Natural History, D.C.}