I have always had a fascination with the Hope Diamond – not because I like jewels (I don’t), but for the gruesome deaths and bad luck in its history.

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of Harry Winston’s donation of the Hope Diamond to the Smithsonian Institution, the infamous diamond will be reset into a different necklace design for the first time in over half a century…and the public will decide on the new design!

From August 17 – September 7, you’ll have the chance to be a part of history by voting on one of the three new setting designs. You can vote on the new design here.

To be completely frank I don’t like any of the new designs. The current setting is timeless and classic, and as representative of the Hope Diamond experience as the diamond itself.

Which setting do you like the best?

Fortunately, the change does not seem to be a permanent move. The Smithsonian has announced that the diamond in the chosen setting will be unveiled in Spring 2010, and after a limited-time exhibition it will be returned to its original setting.

I think that the best part of this announcement is that while the winning design is being created, the Hope Diamond will – for the first time in history – be displayed as a standalone diamond, free of a setting.

I haven’t seen the Hope Diamond since a school trip to D.C. in elementary school. I will surely keep tabs on the dates of the exhibitions so that I can make a trip to the National Museum of Natural History to see the famous diamond – naked, alone, and magnificent.

Via the Los Angeles Times.