Chinese so prize jade that many carry a piece of it in their pocket to stroke. Instead of the brilliant green jade, they prefer more rare colors, such as white mottled with grass green or red spots and green flecked with gold. Zircon Gem Superstitions and Gem Materials Superstition surrounds some gems. They thought sapphire would relieve insanity, powdered jet would kill toothache, and topaz ease asthma. Some famous gems are believed to carry a curse.
Most gem stones are hard minerals.
Their colors range from the colorless transparency of diamonds to pure black. Some are mottled or banded. Others reflect light waves in sparkling brilliance. Gem minerals are usually crystal. Mineral crystals vary in size from huge blocks weighing many tons to tiny specks that can be seen only under a microscope.