
 | A curious young curator at London’s Natural History Museum stumbled upon a type written note stored with a gemstone. The stone itself was not remarkable, it was set in a silver ring and decorated with mysterious signs. Despite its name, the Delhi Purple Sapphire is in fact an amethyst.
The story says it was looted from the Temple of Indra during the Indian Mutiny of 1857. The temple was devoted to the Hindu god of war and weather, and it is thought its theft from the idol created the curse. |  |
 | The stone was brought to England by Colonel W. Ferris, a Bengal Cavalryman. The entire Ferris family was beset by health and financial trouble. The next owner of the gem in 1890, Heron-Allen (who was a close friend of Oscar Wilde), spoke of an immediate series of misfortunes and bad luck, which led him to believe that the amethyst was "trebly accursed". He gifted the stone twice to friends who were interested in it, and in both cases those friends met with bad luck and returned the stone to him. Heron-Allen later bestowed the amethyst to the Natural History Museum, under the condition that the box was not to be opened until at least 3 years after his death.
Heron-Allen ended his note with these words, "Whoever shall then open it, shall first read out this warning, and then do as he pleases with the jewel. My advice to him or her is to cast it into the sea". |  |
Does the curse continue? The gemstone has been moved 3 times and each time the person carrying it has met some misfortune.