LOL! You are right, it is only a rock, and the crowd around it is always thick. Still, it is the biggest diamond you will ever see in person. For me it's always worth the trouble. Better still is the Hall of Gems, just beside the Hope Diamond, where every possible gem or precious stone is on displayed, in every possible color variation, sapphires, rubies, emeralds, and more than I can name. I first saw it as a child, and I've never forgotten the experience.
We were there in April 2013...and the referb on the Hall is fantastic! Worth the jostling crowds.