For almost forty years the Sancy’s story is hidden. In 1828 it turned up in hands that sold it to Prince Demidoff of Russia, husband of the Princess Mathilde, niece of Napoleon Bonaparte. Many of this Princess’ jewels were designed by Louis François Cartier, whose creations she made popular at the court of the Empress Eugénie, thus giving impetus to the young House of Cartier. But at this point the story of the Sancy Diamond takes a double path. Sold to the Maharajah of Patiala and set in platinum, it remains part of the treasure of the land from which it first came. So goes the story. But either the Sancy diamond or a mysterious twin is worn by the former Nancy Langhorne of Virginia, now Lady Astor. What further wars such gems may survive, and what owners they may be cherished by, in the coming centuries, future historians may tell. _Out of the Earth_ From the dull earth comes the bright sparkle of the diamond. Early prospectors, as gold-hunters panned the streams, sifted the surface gravel. When likely spots were located, men and machines began to dig. At Kimberly, the mine shaft is more than 3500 feet deep. One diamond may be secured for each 21 million parts of ore; but gem diamonds in the larger sizes are so much more rare than industrials or gems in the smaller sizes that more than 250 tons must be mined to yield a stone that can be cut and polished into a one-carat gem. A purchaser, at the end of this arduous searching, must see to the four C’s of diamond value. First the weight in carats. Although more labor goes into the preparing of five one-carat gems than of one five-carat gem, the single large stone is worth more than the sum of the five. Comparatively few rough diamonds can be effectively cut into large-carat stones. Second, the clarity. A flawless gem, by official standard, is one in which no imperfection is visible to the trained eye under tenth-power magnification. Such a stone can be shaped to fullest brilliance. Third, the color. Rarest is the pure colorless diamond, together with the flawless blue. Slightly yellowish tints are in disfavor, but red again is extremely rare and highly valued. Of all, the colorless, or white, diamond, is most likely to be richly responsive to light. Fourth, the cut. Not merely how well does the particular cut—brilliant, marquise, rose, and the rest—become the diamond; but, whatever the cutting, how well was it made? That is the pertinent question. And perhaps there should be added to this the matter of the setting—the degree to which the finished jewel sets off, displays and enhances the precious stone. When these qualities are properly present, when a choice gem in a fine jewel adorns a fair lady, then one may truly say, in every sense, that all beholders are privileged to look upon beauty in jewels.