Gilpin observer., 1905-07-13
EARTH,S FINEST GEMS
WORN BY THE NATIVE PRINCES
OF INDIA.
Wealth Untold In Ornaments Of the
Barbaric Rulers Of the East.-Price.
less Collections Added to but Never
Parted With.

Some things there are in this worlo
the potential American dollar can not
buy and which even the influence OF
European royalty is powerless to win.
Among them are the priceless sets OF
jewels belonging to the rajahs of
India. Many of these princes of the
East have sets of gems which repre-
sent a value unheard of outside the
orient and beside which the most ia
nous collections of the crowned heads
of Europe or of the families of Ameri-
can millionaires sink into significance.
1t is against the most sacred tradi-
tions of the rapahs to part with their
family heirlooms. Fabulous prices
have been offered. but gold has no
power to tempt them where their jew
els are concerned.
The pearls and diamonds belonging
to the Rajah of Dholpur rank first
among all these costly collections.
They form the most valuable set of
jewels in existence. One million dol
lars was offered to the rajah for the
single string of large pearls about his
neck. The offer was refused. Each
Of these pearls is said to be absolutely
without a flaw, of perfect purity and
luster.
Every jewel in the twelve great
ropes Of pearls hanging down from the
neck is worth small fortune in itself.
Those in the four ropes across the
left shoulder, though small in compa-
rison with their companions, are really
of good size and great value. Dia-
monds are interspersed with pearls
in the incrustations of the helmet,
which is literally covered with gems.
1t is impossible to approximate the
total value of this wonderful heirloom
Of the Rajahs Of Dholpur. 1t is price
less.
Far less snowy, but scarcely inferior
In value, is the family inheritance Of
the Rajah of Gwalior. His is a wealth
of emeralds. The three bands of i'm
mense stones. which. interspersed with
numerous smaller ones, form a broad
collar over the chest and shoulders,
are native cut. Nor will their owner
consider the suggestion that they may
be recut with modern skill and meth
DDS. What they might gain in bril-
liancy by the operation would be
more than Offset, in his mind, by what
they would loose in size. The value
of each of the large stones is $50,0
The strips of gold embroidery upon
the robes of this Indian prince are set
with many emeralds of smaller size.
The epaulets, which hang from the
shoulder down over the arms, are in
cd nyfr rrlf svtlx 1ar
stones surrounded with pearls.
The collar-or one might almost call
1t cape-worn by the Rajah Of Baroda
Is mass Of diamonds and various
precious stones. combined in rich and
wonderful confusion. The color and
brilliancy Of this ornament can better
be imagined than described. The
lighter stones are set OF by borders of
the darker emeralds, those forming a
fringe around the lower edge being Of
immense size and value. Scarcely less
beautiful is the tassel Of pearls which
hangs from the left side of this rajah's
turban. Each string in this tassel rep
resents a fortune. In each the pearls
have been carefully graded as to size
and each is tipped with a pompon of
silk. The cap of jewels which covers
the rajah's silk turban is a mass Of
various gems TO match his collar. The
edge is formed of diamond pendants.
Five great ropes of pearl. priceless
is value. constitute the chief treasure
Of the Rajah Of Nizam. A single pearl
from these might well make its owner
an object OF envy. Among the pearls,
here and there, are strung other gems,
the better to display their beauty.
After his pearls the rajah prizes most
the nine large diamonds which hang
from his gold cOronet. That in the
center particularly is of great size and
beauty.