Tina Knowles Defends Beyonce Amid Backlash Over Wearing 128-Carat Tiffany Diamond

Tina Knowles defended Beyonce after the singer came under fire for wearing the 128-carat Tiffany Yellow Diamond. The jewel, which was bought by Tiffany & Co. in 1878, was acquired during the colonial era in South Africa.

Beyonce appeared at Tiffany & Co.’s “About Love” campaign with her husband Jay-Z wearing the diamond, becoming the fourth woman and the first Black woman to wear it. Her appearance with the Tiffany Yellow Diamond caught the attention of internet users, with many pointing out the irony of a prominent Black artist wearing a jewel that was mined from her own land during the colonial era.

“The fact that Beyonce can make BLACK IS KING, with all its little cosplay in continental African imagery, and still rep blood diamonds,” one Twitter user wrote.

Zoe Tsamudzi, a writer and scholar, also tweeted, “Tiffany’s put Beyonce in a diamond—‘discovered’ in a colonial mine in Kimberly in 1877—that no black woman has ever worn before in an ad with a never-ever-before-seen Basquiat and then pledged $2 million in scholarships & internships to HBCUs.”

Black news organization TheGrio then posted a screenshot of Tsamudzi’s tweet, highlighting the debate surrounding Beyonce’s accessory. The post did not sit well with Beyonce’s mother, Tina Knowles, who commented on the post, saying, “How many of you socially conscious activists own diamonds? I thought so! Well, guess what did you go to try to check to see where the diamond came from? Probably not!”

“So when you guys get engaged you won’t have a diamond you gonna put on a sterling silver band. And you better check out where it came from and the origin of where came from and why you add it check out the calls for the leather that you weird because they made it came from another country to ban and not buy diamonds right because your righteous!!” she continued.

Beyonce is yet to address the controversy. Meanwhile, Lady Gaga also wore the Tiffany Yellow Diamond when she attended the 2019 Oscars. Audrey Hepburn also wore it in 1961 to promote “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.”

Tiffany & Co. promised a hefty donation to HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) upon its acquisition of the jewel.