Devil's Eye by Al Ruksenas Page A

collection.”
     
    Laura listened while noticing that the elaborate exhibit area had no windows to the outside.
     
    They walked slowly along the displays as the curator dotingly pointed out particular exhibits. “We have the Bismarck Sapphire there. It’s one of the world’s largest at ninety ‐ eight and a half carats. Then, The Napoleon Diamond Necklace given to his queen on the birth of their son. Together, that necklace has a total of two hundred seventy ‐ five carats. The Hooker Emerald Brooch is a gorgeous piece at seventy ‐ five carats,” he said as he pointed. “It was from the belt buckle of a Turkish Sultan.”
     
    “ You know this?”
     
    “ Of course,” Carruthers sniffed.
     
    Laura smiled. She was drawn into the dazzling, alluring displays and momentarily let her mind drift from her purpose by her friend’s enthused elucidations, even though tag lines accompanied each exhibit.
     
    “… the Smithsonian Canary Diamond, a beautiful amber hue radiating from a white diamond encrusted ring.”
     
    They turned a corner along the displays. “The hall is laid out in a rectangular. It guides the flow of visitors. We have several million people coming through here every year.”
     
    Laura figured they were now walking along an outside wall of the building. “Aren’t there any windows around here?”
     
    “ They’re at different levels. Some exhibits are between floors. This place is so cavernous, you can’t count the number of floors by windows.”
     
    “ I see,” she replied thoughtfully.
     
    “ Over there,” he continued, “is Napoleon’s jeweled crown for Empress Marie Louise. Early eighteen ‐ hundreds. It has nine ‐ hundred fifty diamonds set in elaborate Persian turquoise. Next, the Star of Bombay—a stunning one hundred eighty ‐ two carat sapphire from the actress Mary Pickford of early Hollywood. Then, of course, there is the Star of Asia Sapphire. It’s the largest in the world at three hundred thirty carats.”
     
    “ That’s very interesting, Al. But you know, no matter how many carats other gems might have, diamonds still have some magic draw.”
     
    “ Well. I guess that depends,” Carruthers started.
     
    “ For example,” Laura interposed. “What about there?” She pointed. “Those diamond earrings.”
     
    “ Well. They are not the largest,” Carruthers replied.
     
    “ But they’re here on display.”
     
    “ Yes. They’re here on display,” he said. “They are historically significant. They belonged to Marie Antoinette, the last, doomed Queen of France, consumed by the French Revolution. The story is that those earrings were taken from her when she was arrested. The royal family was trying to escape the revolutionary mob.”
     
    “ Is that so?” Laura pondered as she peered at the tear dropped shapes lying on blue velvet and emanating dancing brilliance from within. “I’m doing some lectures on the French Revolution in my seminar.”
     
    “ Then you can appreciate these,” Carruthers said.
     
    “ Some researchers say the French Crown Jewels caused the bankruptcy of France and led to the French Revolution.” Her gaze was still fixed on the earrings.
     
    “ That could well be,” Carruthers replied. “You know, other jewels like rubies, sapphires, and emeralds were all the rage before cutters learned to bring out the brilliance in diamonds. That’s why diamond adornments in earlier portraits of nobles look dark.”
     
    “ I know,” Laura replied. “The early cuts were minimal. They were called adamantine cuts—after a metal that didn’t even exist.”
     
    Carruthers looked at her in admiration.
     
    “ It was a storied metal that was supposed to have mystical powers.”
     
    “ I’m impressed.”
     
    “ European royalty awoke to the brilliance of diamonds when cutters began to improve their methods. Kings started competing for diamonds and outdoing each other in about the Eighteenth Century.”
     
    “ They did,”