
The Curse of the Bahia Emerald - Thevet
https://www.wired.com/2017/03/curse-bahia-emerald-giant-green-rock-wreaks-havoc-ruins-lives/
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sbierwagen
The article never includes a good photo of the rock, irritatingly. Here's two:
[http://www.trbimg.com/img-5568f702/turbine/la-me-ln-bahia-
em...](http://www.trbimg.com/img-5568f702/turbine/la-me-ln-bahia-emerald-
ownership-decision-20150529) [http://media-
channel.nationalgeographic.com/media/uploads/ph...](http://media-
channel.nationalgeographic.com/media/uploads/photos/content/video/2013/01/28/ngc-11686_354.jpg)

Note that it looks to be more than half matrix, with the remainder being
actual gemstone.

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beautifulfreak
A more flattering image: [http://bhcourier.com/wp-
content/uploads/2015/05/bahia-emeral...](http://bhcourier.com/wp-
content/uploads/2015/05/bahia-emerald-360x360.jpg)

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Dragonai
The design of this article is absolutely fantastic.

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brianbreslin
How could any gem that size even low quality be worth "a couple hundred
bucks"? Or rather, how can the range in value be so insanely large?

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simtel20
I am not an expert, but I have bought a couple of small emeralds (in Bahia,
Brazil) as a tourist. Part of the spiel that the seller had regarding why
emeralds were special was that it is tricky to cut the gem without causing
unwanted breaks. See
[https://naturalemerald.wordpress.com/2010/02/02/durability-i...](https://naturalemerald.wordpress.com/2010/02/02/durability-
in-emeralds/) for some info.

Also, like many other gems, the price of a gem varies wildly with its clarity,
etc.

So the worst case scenario,I suppose, is that it could be that the stone is
only worth its weight as rock dust. But generally I agree with you that it
seems unlikely, and it's probably just hyperbole.

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samirillian
I seem to remember a passage in the Count of Monte Cristo where the Count has
large emeralds turned into little boxes. I remember thinking at the time that
it seemed extremely wasteful (and out of character for a guy who so shrewdly
managed his affairs). Now it makes more sense.

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db48x
That character was all about extravagance. He presents Danglars with not one
but two letters of unlimited credit, then withdraws 5 million franks to pay
for his immediate needs.

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RichardHeart
Sounds like the sacred Loc-Nar [http://villains.wikia.com/wiki/Loc-
Nar](http://villains.wikia.com/wiki/Loc-Nar)

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sammydavis
Man, I sure loved _Heavy_Metal_ when I was a teenager. Sex, drugs, rock and
roll, fed all my nerdy escapist fantasies. And you know that first scene, when
the scientist comes out of the space shuttle in a corvette and flys down to
the ground? That's what I wanted to be when I grew up.

