The British Regalia also contains the famous stone called the Timur Ruby or Khiraj-i-Alam (Tribute of the World), which weighs just over 352 carats, and is the largest spinel-ruby known. It is uncut, but polished. Its history goes back to 1398, when it was captured by the Amir Timur at Delhi. On the wane of the Tartar empire the stone became the property of the Shahs of Persia, until it was given by Abbas I to his friend and ally, the Mogul Emperor, Jehangir. It remained at Delhi until, on the sack of that city by Nadir Shah in 1739, it, together with immense booty, including the Koh-i-nor, fell into the hands of the conqueror. Like the great diamond, it eventually came into the possession of Runjit Singh at Lahore, and on the annexation of the Punjab in 1850 passed to the East India Company. It was shown at the Great Exhibition of 1851, and afterwards presented to Queen Victoria. Mention has been made above (p. 121) of the blue spinel which is manufactured in imitation of the true sapphire. The artificial stone is quite different in tint from the blue spinel found in nature. CHAPTER XXIII GARNET The important group of minerals which are known under the general name of garnet provides an apt illustration of the fact that rarity is an essential condition if a stone is to be accounted precious. Owing to the large quantity of Bohemian garnets, of a not very attractive shade of yellowish red, that have been literally poured upon the market during the past half-century the species has become associated with cheap and often ineffective jewellery, and has acquired a stigma which completely prevents its attaining any popularity with those professing a nice taste in gem-stones. It must not, however, be supposed that garnet has entirely disappeared from high-class jewellery although the name may not readily be found in a jeweller’s catalogue. Those whose business it is to sell gem-stones are fully alive to the importance of a name, and, as has already been remarked (p. 109), they have been fain to meet the prejudices of their customers by offering garnets under such misleading guises as ‘Cape-ruby,’ ‘Uralian emerald,’ or ‘olivine.’