THE WORLD'S COSTLIEST GEMS.
The largest perfect diamond in the world is now the Imperial, that was exhibited at the Paris Exposition in 1891, and which is valued at $1,000,000, says the Ladies' Home Journal. This is the most valuable stone in the world, and is owned by a syndicate. The biggest and best ruby in existence is owned in London, and is valued at $50,000. It has no parallel, even in the crown jewels, and it is related that the duchess of Edinburgh10carried it all the way to St. Petersburg for the czar to have a look at it. The finest private collection of pearls in the world is owned by Madame Dosne, sister-in-law of M. Thiers. The biggest emerald in the world weighs 2,980 carats, and is in the Imperial Jewel Office in Vienna. The largest and costliest cat's eye in the world is owned by a Moorman of Ceylon, who dug it up himself from the mines. He has been offered as high as $90,000 for it, but declines to part with it at that figure, saying that, if he liked, he could cut it up into forty small pieces and sell each piece for about $50,000, aggregating pretty nearly $200,000.