Beyoncé has faced criticism after trying on Tiffany & Co’s yellow diamond in the brand’s new campaign. Social media users believe that this gem is a symbol of British colonialism in Africa.
According to The Times, the yellow diamond was mined at the South African Kimberley mine in 1877 and sold to Tiffany & Co co-founder Charles Lewis Tiffany. Because of this, some social media users saw the stone as a symbol of British colonialism in Africa. They criticized Beyoncé for wearing the diamond, calling her actions a form of blackwashing. Her mother, Tina Knowles, stood up for the singer, and fans who pointed out on social networks that neither Lady Gaga nor Audrey Hepburn, who also previously wore this stone, faced similar accusations.
Beyoncé and Jay Z have recently become the new faces of Tiffany & Co and have taken part in a new advertising campaign for the brand. For filming, the singer tried on the famous 128.54-carat yellow diamond. She became the fourth person and the first black woman to ever wear this gem. To mark the occasion, Tiffany & Co pledged to donate $2 million in scholarships to colleges and universities that have historically attended only black people.