In a moment of "fey" fury, Fëanor and his seven sons swore the Oath of Fëanor , a terrible vow to hunt down and reclaim the Silmarils from anyone—God, Demon, Elf, or Man—who might withhold them [2, 15]. This oath led the Noldor Elves into exile, sparked the first Kinslayings , and brought about the "Doom of the Noldor," a curse that ensured their war against Morgoth would be fraught with treachery and sorrow [15, 26]. The Three Fates of the Silmarils
: Beren and Lúthien managed to cut one jewel from Morgoth's crown [16]. It was eventually borne by Eärendil the Mariner , who sailed to the West to beg the Valar for aid [18]. It now shines in the sky as the Morning and Evening Star, a symbol of hope to all in Middle-earth [18].
In modern science, the name "Silmaril" has been adopted for a high-sensitivity used at the CHARA Array . Much like its mythical namesake's focus on capturing light, this instrument is designed for ultra-low noise performance to observe distant stars with unprecedented clarity.
: After the final defeat of Morgoth, the remaining two jewels were recovered but then stolen by Fëanor’s surviving sons, Maedhros and Maglor [15]. However, their deeds had made them unworthy; the jewel burned Maedhros’s hand in such agony that he cast himself and the Silmaril into a fiery chasm of the Earth [15].