Evening star., 1886-11-06
A Word About Jewels.
oPALS AND RCBIES-THE FAMOUS SAN CY DI
MONDS,

OPALS AND RCBIES-THE FAMOUS SAN CY DIA-
MONDS.
Paris Letter.
A word about jewels. noticed in an English
paper recently that Queen Victoria had lately
given away many jewels containing opals in
order to overcome, if possible, the prejudice
against them. How this prejudice arose it
would be interesting to learn. Among the an
clients this stone was highly esteemed. Pliny
relates that a Roman senator owning an opal
valued at 10000 sesterces (about 2,OOO,O
fraIcs) was eXiled because he refused to sell it
TO Marc Antony. In the middle ages it was
still greatly priced. Robert de Berquen,
dealer in precious stones OF that time writes
that the opal renders the person wearing it
amiable, and acts as a preservative against
miaslna and contagion in the air. AT the pres
ent day 1t is considered unlucky as the "evil
eye"
The Paris dealers in precious stones have
been recently puzzled by the action of certain
jewelers. in Geneva in throwing on the market
5000 or 900 francs worth of rubies which
present certain peculiar features to the analyst.
They are found TO contain aluminium, magne-
| sla, prOtOxyde OF iron, sesquOXyde of chro-
MUM and silica, precisely like genuine rubies,
and their density is nearly equal to that of the
purest stones coming from the east. Still the
Paris dealers are suspicious, and it is now sup
| posed that some clever chemist has found the
secret OF diSsOlving this ruby, hitherto deemed
| insOluble, and has succeeded in forming "a sim
| gle large stone out OF a number OF small ones
The profit that would accrue from SUCH an
operation may be inferred when it is stated
that ten carats OF small uncut rubies would only
be worth ten francs but the same stones melted
and made into "a single stone would be worth,
when offered as a genuine ruby Weighing ten
carats, 10000 francs.
To conclude my gossip on precious stones I
will relate curious story told by the celebrated
Jules Janin. 1tappears that he once came near
losing the celebrated Sancy diamond said TO be
worth 100000 francs. 1t appears that he was
one day visiting the Louvre in company with
the Princess DemidOn. The latter, as the
weather warm, took off her shawl on
which was her diamond brooch. This she
handed to the author, and asked him to keep
1t for her.
Janin, OF course, consented and slipped it into
the pocket OF his white vest and thought no
more about it; neither did the princess. The
next day, however, she asked her husband
whether NJ. Janin had returned the pin.
NO" replied the prince
They sent in haste to Janins lodgings.
"YOu don't mean to say it was the Sancy
diamond?" cried the bewildered critic; "what
can nave done with it?''
He searched through his wardrobe without
success. Suddenly a thought struck him.
II put it in the pocket OF my vest," he cried
"In that case" said his servant, "it has gone
to the washerwoman's'
Everybody ran To the washerwoman's. The
good old soul was cautiously questioned. She
must not be exposed to too great a temptation
ION, yes! breastpin," she replied carelessly.
81 remember. l didn't suppose you cared
about it, SO l gave it to my youngest to play
WITH"
Fortunately the child was not tar off, He did
not suspect that his plaything was worth a
million and a halt, but it was quite safe,
Janin, however, never told the story without
shudder.