See the 'Star of India,' decades after it was nabbed in a heist [NYC]

https://www.livescience.com ^ | JUNE 11, 2021 | By Mindy Weisberger - Senior Writer

[Red Badger]

At 563 carats, the Star of India is the world’s largest gem-quality blue star sapphire, and is approximately 2 billion years old. (Image credit: D. Finnin/Copyright AMNH)

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What does the legendary Star of India — a 563-carat star sapphire the size of a golf ball — have in common with a 35-million-year-old petrified redwood slab; a massive cluster of sword-like crystals that looks like it came from "Game of Thrones;" and a 5-ton (4.5-metric ton) stone pillar that can "sing?"

You can see all of them, along with 5,000 other amazing stones, in the newly renovated Mignone Hall of Gems and Minerals at the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) in New York City, which is reopening after a four-year closure on Saturday (June 12). There, one-of-a-kind precious gems appear alongside odd-looking rocks — some of which date to billions of years ago — that have been uniquely warped and twisted by extreme temperatures and pressures.

Individually and together, these objects tell a story of the diverse geologic processes that shape minerals on Earth's surface and deep inside our planet, beginning when the world was young and continuing to this day, museum representatives told Live Science.

Related: 13 mysterious and cursed gemstones

The Star of India, which formed about a billion years ago, was discovered in Sri Lanka in the 18th century. It is one of the best-known gems in the world, in part because it was famously and brazenly stolen from AMNH in 1964, along with several more of the museum's prized stones, by a pair of thieves named Jack "Murf the Surf" Murphy and Allan Kuhn, Smithsonian reported in 2014, on the heist's 50th anniversary. (The one-of-a-kind sapphire was recovered and went back on display in 1965).

[ArGee]

[Dead Corpse]

Oof... Sorry. That is a rough one to deal with.

[Monkey Face]

You’re welcome, but of course, we wouldn’t be here without the innkeeper, Red Badger! ;o]

SOOO grateful!

[Monkey Face]

Yes, you’d fit right in! Welcome to the family! :o])

[hoagy62]

I was under the (mistaken) impression that the Star of India was one of the named diamonds in the crown of England. Turns out it was close to the name of a crown worn by George V, the Crown of India.

Of it, he was quoted as saying “I’m pretty tired after wearing it. I wore it for three hours. It’s pretty heavy, and my head hurt.”

[null and void]

We do what we must.

[Red Badger]

I think Elizabeth said something similar. The ‘Crown’ is too heavy and it gave her a headache..............

[Darksheare]

We will not be on a Zot Thread this month.
We're *checks notes* Reaching for The Star.
Is that right?
*shuffles papers*
Well, do be polite and thank Red Badger for the donation of this thread.
And be sure to wipe your feet!

What's this all about? Zotland the Craven		Some guidelines for posting on this thread. Some highlights of this thread.
	Spawn of the Undead Thread: The June-ish Chronicles (redux) Ping! FReepmail Darksheare if you want on or off the ping list. This is a low volume ping list (every few days). Read: The Resurrected Chronicles (redux)

[Red Badger]

People are just dying to get here!................

[Red Badger]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cullinan_Diamond

[Monkey Face]

Thanks, Darks!

It seems like it’s been forever since we’ve seen jj_fate’s fateful doomstone.

;o])

‘Face

[Monkey Face]

Well, it’s your fault...

(BWA-HA-HA-HA-HA!!!)

[Red Badger]

I had never seen that movie until about a month ago on cable. It was actually quite good!...................

[Monkey Face]

Oh... which movie? Some days, my blonde roots show a LOT! ;o]

[Red Badger]

World War Z, starring Bradd Pitt, that’s what that clip is from. It’s basically a Zombie movie on steroids................

[Tax-chick]

Did I say, “Funny jokes.”?

[ArGee]

And be sure to wipe your feet!

Nagdabbit! I KNEW I forgot something.

Thanks, R.B. Nice place.

[Darksheare]

“They’re stacking like Voltron!”

[Red Badger]

[Red Badger]

I bet the smell is horrendous!................