Historical Archives

[PinkDiamond]

The Burma Ruby Mines, Ltd.

"The Times of London published the prospectus for the company on Feb. 27, 1889. That morning, extraordinary scenes were witnessed at the company's offices, as the following extract shows:

If St. Swithin's Lane had been a ruby mine itself the scene witnessed there yesterday morning could not have been more remarkable. The crowd around New Court was so dense that Lord Rothschild and other members of the house were unable to get in by the door. So a ladder had to be got, and the spectacle was seen of a number of great financiers entering their own office in a burglarious fashion. The clerks had to be smuggled in by a back entrance behind the Mansion House. The surging crowd in front drove a telegraph boy right through the window of a baker's shop opposite, the poor fellow being rather severely hurt. The fortunate possessors of Ruby Mine application forms, which were being hawked at five shillings, had to pass between files of policemen to hand in their applications. The next time the Messrs. Rothschild make an issue, it would be well for the police to arrive on the scene before the stags.

Financial News, London, Feb. 28, 1889

Within hours, the issue sold out. General public and company directors alike were under the mistaken impression that fabulous riches were just waiting to be unearthed in Mogok. No one gave a thought to the difficulties of mining gems in such an inhospitable and remote location. Instead, they could see but one thing--rubies--pigeon's blood rubies...."

http://www.ruby-sapphire.com/r-s-bk-burma2.htm

Enjoy!

[PinkDiamond]

Burma Ruby Mining: Heat Wave
by Richard Hughes

"...But Burmese blood flows from more than just birds and baubles. Since 1962, the country's been saddled with a military junta that takes its cues from the ultra-right but still can't get the trains to run on time. As one pundit put it: "The only thing that works is the means of repression..."

http://www.ruby-sapphire.com/dd_burma_ruby_heat.htm

[PinkDiamond]

Historic venue for Cartier treasures
By Michelle Zhang

"BEIJING'S Forbidden City is a fitting venue for a collection of pieces made by the renowned French jeweller which now numbers more than 1,360 items, many of which are on show in the capital. Michelle Zhang reports. In 1973, Robert Hocq, then President of Cartier Paris, went to the Geneva auctions and bought "Portiques," the first "mystery clock" created by the French jeweler back in 1923. At that time, he might not have realized that the acquisition of this piece, 50 years after it was created, marked the start of a collection that would later travel through the world's finest museums..."

http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sp/article ... 413796.htm

[PinkDiamond]

From the Sun King to the Smithsonian
The Epic Journey of the Hope Diamond.

by Richard W. Wise,
Author of The French Blue ©2009

"On a dark night in September of 1792, someone made off with the 69 carat French Blue diamond. Confiscated from King Louis XVI by the revolutionaries of the French National Assembly, the gem, along with the rest of the French Crown Jewels, had been secreted in a royal storehouse for safe keeping. Many of the gems stolen that night were subsequently recovered by the French government. The French Blue was never seen or heard of again..."

http://www.thefrenchblue.com/article1.htm

[PinkDiamond]

Note: We are pleased to reprint this paper on the Colombian emerald mines.

The Emerald Deposits of Muzo, Colombia†

By Joseph E. Pogue,* Ph. D., Evanston, Illinois

Transactions of the American Institute of Mining Engineers

Vol. LV, 1917 (Arizona Meeting, September, 1916)

*Assistant Curator, Division of Mineralogy and Petrology, U. S. National Museum.

† Received June 28, 1916

"The writer visited the Muzo emerald mines in July, 1915, and spent six days in their study. This paper embodies the results of his observations, plus information personally communicated by Robert Scheibe, Professor of Geology in the Mining Academy of Berlin, who at the time of the visit was completing a detailed field investigation of nearly a year’s duration of the emerald deposits of Colombia. An elaborate account of this valuable work may be expected at a future date from the pen of Professor Scheibe..."

http://www.palagems.com/emerald_colombia.htm

[PinkDiamond]

This is an article published by GIA in 1960, that describes a very interesting process for emeralds. Scroll down to page 11 for the beginning of the article:

A New Emerald Substitute
by Ralph J. Holmes PhD, Columbia University, and G. Robert Crowningshield, New York Gem Trade Laboratory

"A new, durable emerald substitute of a very attractive color has appeared on the market that bids well to fill a long-felt need for a satisfactory, yet reasonably priced, substitute for this gem..."

http://www.gia.edu/research-resources/g ... g-1960.pdf

And here's one posted on my friend Brad Payne's website, called Tourmaline Has Strange History "Wonderful Gem Described by Scientists; Dr Augustus Choate Hamlin, Who Died Recently In Maine (1905), Leaves Book Full of Information Regarding Stone"...

http://www.thegemtrader.com/Tourmaline%20Article.htm

Thanks Brad!