Page "Hope Diamond" Paragraph 36

But the stone was not stolen during their ownership.

When Ms. McLean died in 1947, she bequeathed the diamond to her grandchildren through a will which insisted that her former property would remain in the custody of trustees until the eldest child had reached 25 years of age.

This requirement would have prevented any sale for the next two decades.

However, the trustees gained permission to sell her jewels to settle her debts, and in 1949 sold them to New York diamond merchant Harry Winston.

He purchased McLean's " entire jewelry collection ".

Over the next decade, Winston exhibited McLean's necklace in his " Court of Jewels ," a tour of jewels around the United States, as well as various charity balls and the August 1958 Canadian National Exhibition.

At some point, he also had the Hope Diamond's bottom facet slightly recut to increase its brilliance.