The 75.47-carat Hooker Emerald was once the property of Abdul Hamid II, sultan of the Ottoman Empire (1876-1909), who according to legend, wore it in his belt buckle. It originated in the famous mines of Colombia and was probably shipped to Europe by Spanish conquistadores in the 16th or 17th century. Mrs. Janet Annenberg Hooker purchased the brooch from Tiffany in 1955 and in 1977 donated it to the Smithsonian.

One person had asked if these gems are replicas. They aren’t – they’re the real thing, part of the museum’s priceless gem collection. Some people may remember a gem exhibit I photographed at the Hillwood Estate, jewels previously owned by heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post. She had donated many of her pieces to the Smithsonian, and this is where they’re normally displayed. Also, every display in the Gem Gallery is behind very heavy glass.

İshak Paşa Sarayı, posted earlier: