When Nostra Señora de Atocha (Our Lady of Atocha) sank in 1622, it took down with her some incredibly expensive items, as the ship was at the time transporting gold, silver, gems, jewels, copper, indigo and tobacco. Only approximately half of the vast treasure could be recovered back then, because of lack of modern diving methods.
Last Thursday however, historians found a beautiful ten-carat emerald ring, some 35 miles west of Key West. When they came across the jewel, they were actually looking for the stern castle of the old vessel. Such finds are not a great surprise today: a few months back a gold bar and a gold rosary were found near the wreck and now two silver spoons and a couple of other silver artifacts were also discovered together with the emerald ring. The ring is estimated to be worth some $550,000.
[Source]
