Huge nit in this one that always spoiled it for me: In the attempt at theft, the coronet gets a 'corner' broken off (a bit of a stretch in itself, but never mind). Holmes eventually recovers the missing corner and hands the two pieces over to Holder...who proceeds to vault into absolute transports of joy.

But wait...isn't the coronet still a mess? Doesn't Holder have to return it the very next day? How's he going to fix it in time? (Surely he won't want to involve a jeweller - an honest one would be bound to ask all sorts of awkward questions, and I don't think Holder knows any dishonest ones!)

Not really a nit, I guess, so much as a hanging plot thread. I always mentally added a slightly later scene in which Holmes leaves, Holder looks down and takes in the twisted wreck...and a long howl of frustrated anguish echoes faintly in the detective's ears as his cab drives away.

Of course, none of this would have even happened if our oh-so-discreet banker didn't have any better idea of security than to lock the coronet up in a dresser drawer. Didn't they have safe-deposit boxes in the 19th century? Or at the very least, some form of personal safe or strongbox?

The idea that a banker would rather take a customer's valuble item home then place it in the vault seems daft, especially when he's got a son who's a sponger. I know the banker is worried about someone might break into the vault, but it's got a much better chance than a dresser.

Richard: I know the banker is worried about someone might break into the vault, but it's got a much better chance than a dresser.

I agree. Holder's reasoning is that bank safes have been broken into before. He therefore resolves to carry the coronet with him day and night. Well...haven't well-dressed people been mugged far more often than bank safes cracked? Haven't houses been burgled more often?