One
found at Bawbadan weighed in the rough forty-four carats. It was cut to
twenty carats, and given by the finder to King Tharawadis. It was named
the " Gnaga Boh," or '' Dragon Lord."
Another
weighing one hundred carats, was found on Pingudoung Hill soon after
Theebaw ascended the throne. It was given to him by Oo-dwa-gee, Woon of
the ruby mining district.
The
two best known rubies in Europe, brought over in 1875, were of
magnificent quality and color. One was cushion-shaped, and weighed
thirty-seven carats. The other, a blunt drop-shape, weighed forty-seven
carats. They were recut by Mr. J. N. Forster, of London, to thirty-two
and five-sixteenths and thirty-eight and nine-sixteenths carats,
respectively, and sold abroad for £10,000 and £20,000. The necessities
of the Burmese government, only, gave Europe the opportunity to acquire
these royal gems.
A
ruby of very fine quality, weighing eighteen and seven-sixteenths
carats, was found January, 1895, at the Tagoung-naindaing mine, and in
the summer of that year a large one of nine hundred and seventy-three
carats was found in the Ingonk Valley, near Mogok. In common with all
large rubies, parts of it were thick and cloudy.
The " Black Prince Ruby," in the Imperial crown, Tower of London, is a spinel. It is cut en cabochon, and
has a hole drilled through it, though this has been plugged with a
similar stone. It was presented to the Black Prince by Don Pedro, King
of Castile, and was worn in his helmet by King Henry V., of England, at the battle of Agincourt.
Two
very fine spinels were brought to England from India in 1861. One of
them weighed one hundred and ninety-seven carats. It was cut en cabochon, octagon-shape,
and was of perfect color and flawless. It was recut to eighty-one
carats. The other was of perfect color and octagonal also, very spread
and free from flaws. It weighed one hun-
