Literature: Illustrated in Tweutieth-Cent ury Jewelrt/, Electa / Abbeville, page 106. When one thinks of the world's greatest jewelers, two thinks come to mind - great design and beautiful geins. This unique piece has both. Impressive large rubies and diamonds are brilliantly integrated into a strikingly bold design while maintaining a supple fluidity that gracefully conforms to the neck. The central locus of the piece is the dramatic cascading drape of fine rubies. The rubies are noteworthy for several reasons: their size, the beautiful matching, and most important, their origin - they are all Burmese* rubies. The diamonds are also fine and feature distinctive, unusual cuts to enhance the overall feeling of the necklace. A most amazing point to note in this fashionable necklace is the fact that it was created in 1938 - truly avant-garde for the time, as are so many of Cartier's magnificent creations. * Rubies from Burina (modem Myanmar) have always been coveted and prized as the finest rubies in the world. The exact time of their discovery is unknown, although legends suggest that their history goes back to ancient times. Among the first written records are references found in the travel diaries of the Italian explorer Marco Polo dating from the thirteen century, and mining records exist from as early as 1597. The finest Burmese rubies have always been found , as is the case even today, in the mines of upper Burma near the Mogok region (and should not be confused with the new mine in the Mong Hsu district). h1 the past, when the trade referred to Burmese rubies, it was synonymous with "the finest color", of pure spectral red, and often made reference to the quality of the store, not necessarily to its true country of origin. Today, when rubies are confirmed as originating from Burina, they immediately command greater admiration and desirability, and a higher price. Burmese rubies over two carats are also exceedingly rare in fine quality, and the price escalates dramatically on stones over two carats, and with each successive carat above.