Describing objects with no known images is hard.
Case in point: The Burning of Troy Opal.
This stone makes an appearance in Opal Serpent, and is integral to the plot. Here is the problem. No images of this stone exist. No photos, paintings, sketches, nothing. Here’s what makes that more than a bit odd.
The opal was a gift from Napoleon Bonaparte to his wife, Josephine. It was…impressive. Contemporary sources describe it as being a black opal with loads of red and orange fire, and ranging in size anywhere from 700 to 3,000 carats. Yes, you read that correctly. 3,000. Even if the opal was ‘only’ 700 carats, it was still a massive specimen. There’s confusion as to where it came from. It may have been from Hungary, where most European opals are found. However, the coloration and size is more consistent with the opals that come from Central America. Either way, it was a spectacular gem, and reportedly one of Josephine’s favorite gifts.
So why the heck are there no images of this glorious gem? Good question, though I *may* have found one. It does not help that the opal disappears off the face of the earth right around World War Two. The last known location was Vienna, Austria. So, yes, a stone that could be used as a sparkly bludgeon just up and vanished into thin air. I’m sure it’s around somewhere…if the person reading this has the Burning of Troy, help an author out and send a picture? Pretty please? I promise not to share it! I just want to know that I’m on the right track with my descriptions.
As to the image I may have found? I can’t be certain, but the stones in the portrait look an awful lot like I would expect something like the Burning of Troy to look. What if we aren’t looking for a single stone anymore, but one that was cut down into jewelry? If the image I found is indeed the Burning of Troy, that’s what happened. If they did…wow. The stones in the diadem are cameo carved, a bold move for a gem as fragile as opal. Those things will crack if you so much as look at them crossways. There aren’t a whole lot of orange gemstones out there, and the stones in the diadem, earrings, and necklace aren’t a great match for any of them. The stones appear to be either translucent or opaque, which rules out sapphires, garnets, zircons, topaz, and tourmaline. The closest visual match would be carnelian or coral, and, sorry, I don’t see Josephine wearing something as common as carnelian or coral. Say what you want about her…the lady had fine taste. If this painting does show the Burning of Troy, I would be inclined to believe that the original stone was closer to the 3,000 carat mark.
The painting in question is below. Draw your own conclusions!
Hilary
