The Delphi Sapphire

Origin
Actually an amethyst, the Delhi Sapphire was stolen by a British soldier from the temple of Indra, the Hindu god of war. The soldier who stole it experienced a stretch of bad luck, and gave it away to a scientist, John Heron-Allen. Immediately struck by misfortune, Heron-Allen tried giving the stone away twice but was unsuccessful.

In a last-ditch effort to get rid of the bad luck and health problems that he believed the amethyst was causing, Heron-Allen threw the Delhi Sapphire into the Regent’s Canal in London. However, a few months later, a jeweler returned the Delhi Sapphire to Heron-Allen, who quickly locked it away in storage until his death.

Today, the Delhi Sapphire is on display at the London Natural History Museum, with strict instructions not to be touched with bare hands.

Effects
Brings great misfortune to those who touch it, and even more to those who receive it from another. Will occasionally attach itself to a specific person, manipulating circumstances to prevent permanent separation from the victim's possession.