GROSSING THE SEA

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 124, 28 May 1930, Page 17

GROSSING THE SEA

WORLD'S FAMOUS JEWELS

AMERICAN PURCHASES

After considerable ; litigation, the famous diamond necklace, worth £80,000, which Napoleon Bonaparte gave to his second wife, Marie Louise of Austria, when their son, L'Aiglon, the ill-fated Prince- of Borne, was born, has been restored to the representative of the Archduchess Mario of Austria, who, like some of Austria's aristocracy, needed money ' more than she heeded diamonds, and, sent it '.to America to be sold.

The Duchess's agent sold it to Mr. David M. Michel, a New York jeweller, for £12,000, and it is he who,^aeeording to the latest advices, has just returned it to the1. Archduchess's legal representatives. Since America is now the wealthiest country in the world, it is 1 naturally the ragnet which.attracts those whose need compels them to dispose of their jewels and who desire to obtain the best prices for them. In this way tho pearls, which are believed to be the-most valuable string in existence —the three strings known as the Thiers pearls are owned by the wife of an American millionaire, whose name the jeweller who obtained them in Paris will not reveal.

Also, the wonderful black pearls which belonged to tho late ill-fated Empress of Eussia now belong .to a young American woman, as does the wonderful emerald vyhieh Napoleon took back from Italy to Prance for his first wife, Josephine. Thfs emerald is, however, not in the setting which adorned tho Empress's neck, for it has been reset in modern fashion.

While more of those historic jewels will continue, to gravitate to the New York market, •' India still rotains its prestige as the home of the most valuable gems in the world, and as the maharajahs' are exceedingly rich, it is unlikely that they will be parted with, any more than the most famous diamond in the world, tho Ivo'iinoor or. "Mountain of Light," which ia to be seen among the Crown Jewels in the Tower, and sometimes adorns the Queen's corsage on great occasions will over leave England.