Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-06-13


the most beautiful and valuable gems
~ in the world not excepting dia.
monds. For this reason 1t is the dream
OF nearly every woman of worldly ambi.
ton 10 BIO the owner Of necklace OF real
perfect pearls.
That was dream that lurked in the
bosom of Madame Emmy Destinn. the
noted opera singer, back in 1914, when
her purse was heavy with the proceeds OF
her stage triumphs.
She confided her desires to Edward Ber-
ger, a New York jeweler. He told her
that he had in his tender care n per.
feet marvel OF pearl necklace In two
strands OF sixty and seventy pearls each,
tho largest gem attaining n size of hun
dred grains. which is quite extraordinary.
They were lustrous rich. delicate. fasci.
mating pearls. Madame asked the price
and the jeweler informed her II was ST.
600. and great bargain at that She
says he told her their real value would be
nearer $4,000. She was rather startled
by the price, but she looked ut the pearls
again and again and heard about their high
virtues and found their lure too strong for
her
She bought them without any further
expert advice. Artists have the reputation
OF acting in a temperamental and impul-
sive way like that.
And now after six years Madame Destinn
has brought suit through her attorney.
Joseph J. Myers. OF Nc. sos Fifth avenue,
against the jeweler. She asserts that her
precious pearls are only fresh water
pearls and not Oriental pearls" as she
alleges Berger represented them to be.
and that they are not worth more than
about $4,000, instead OF S27 900 to $4,000.
as he represented. She therefore asks for
the return OF her $4,000.
MIR. Berger. when asked for his side or
the suit, said:
THE statements made by the other side
are mostly fabrications. never said they
were Oriental pearls They are remark.
ably beautiful pearls and of extraordinary
size. Madame Des'lnn got good bargain
much more than she paid for. If they
were all she expects them TO be--if they
were the finest pearls ever known-they
would be worth 100000, perhaps 81 ,OOO,-
GOO
she never paid me $4,000, but gave
me some diamonds. an automobile and a
promise to pay in instruments, some OF
which she has never met"
We are therefore promised n lawsuit in
which the whole romance Of pearls, their
lure and their mystery. and the expert
methods of Judging and valuing them will
be made ptibIic. i.
The manner in which Madame Destinn
became disiilusioned with her pearls was
quite romantic. After buying them she
wore them proudly during her season IN
New York and her tours of the country
In the Summer OF 1916 she went to 30.
hemia, her native land, where she has a
castle and estate There, TO her great
distress. she was held prisoner by the
austrian Government as y possible enemy.
She was not allowed - leave untn last
year, and then passed on TO London While
there she says she visited the most noted
jeweler and pearl expert in the city, and
hnding him very interesting said
Il have wonderful Oriental pearl neck.
lace. II is worth $4,000. | suppose YOU
would be willing 10 lend me 500, 900 on it,
The expert said he would ike TO sec the
pearls. lie examined them long and care.
fully and then said:
These are not Oriental pearls. Madame,
are not worth anything like 10000
Madame Des,nn was stunned by the
revelation. Everybody understands that
Oriental pearls are the desirable kind. All
the lure and charm OF pearls. their asso.
cation with ancient romances and TRACE.
dies with gem-bedecked tyrants and beau.
uiul sultanas, are inscparably connected
win Their Oriental origin Fresh-wa,er
pearls. being largely obtained from the
mississippi River and its tributaries do
not appear 70 have The same prestige,
On he! return TO New York. Madame
Destinn says. She found the London lew.
eicrs opinion confirmed by American OK.
perts ana go she began her suit;
wherein lies The beauty OF a pearl?
W nat gives fine specimen its enormous
value? What is the difference between an
Oriental pearl and a fresh.wat pearl?
Can person not an expert distinguish
between good artificial pearls worth. saw,
- apiece, and real ones worth $4,000?
Dr. George +. kunz, the noted American
expert on gems. whom Madame Destinn
says she will call as an expert. answers
most OF these questions in his remarkahle
work, The Book OF the Pearl" For IN.
stance. concerning the first question. he
writes:
THE distinctive Characteristic tho rreat
beauty of true pearl. is it's lustre mr.
orient, which is a subdued iridcscenco
rather than the glittcring brilliance of tho
diamond; and unless the shelly growth he
lus,rsus IT does not rank as a gem pearl