Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1886-12-30
PRECIOUS STONES.
Very Valuable How Diamonds Are Classi
fed The Emerald and the Sapphire

the matter of appreciating valuable
stones. The people of New York are
thoroughly posted on the subject OF
stones and therefore they know the value
of them. Out here the diamond is looked
upon as the most valuable; in isct, the
only really precious stone that there is
As a consequence we labor under a sad
disadvantage, as compared with dealers
in the east. OF course / know that
there are some here who are informed
on the subject of precious stones, but
| mean that as class our people have
much to learn. For instance, if l were
to ask almost anybody that came in here
if he would like to buy an Alexandria
he certainly would not know what
meant
Tell me something about gems. What
is an Alexandrite!"
1T is a dark green in color by daylight
and dark red by night. 1t is named after
the car OF Russia, and owes its celebrity
to its prominent hues of red and green
the chosen emblamatic colors of that
nation"
rs it true that you can't break dia.
monde"
"a diamond will crack or break as any
other stone, but the cracking viii reduce
$1,000 to nothing, in spite of the vulgar
tradition that you can't break diamond.
Only about one in ten is royal the others
being black or colOred useful in the
arts. }"
How do you get at the value of dia-
monds:"
"The valuation of gems is arbitrary,
depending on many considerations.
{ on far,fr -
/ id like A drop of the purest water. Color
comes next. Coloriess ranks highest,
White is next, while the merest sus pic
ion of green or blue rather heighteus
/ the rank of the white stones. Rose comes
next and then yellow or amber but obey
must all be perfect in water and 1awless
to rank among the first class"
"What about agates?"
"They are translucent to transparent
all colors. Agates are built up layer on
layer, Sometimes hundreds TO the inch.
Those stained by magnanese or iron in
moss like figures and veins (moss agates)
sometimes closely resembling persons
and things, command very high prices.
"Can you give me chapter on the
/ amethyst?p
1T is transparent purple or violet in
color A cluster as mined generally con
tains other crystals of blue, yellow, red,
gray ahd white. The red crystal are
/ properly rose quartz the clouded ones
smoky quartz; the green are brase; the
/ yellow false topaz, and the perfectly
/ clear are rock crystals. The finest rock
crystals are found in great numbers near
Hot Springs, Ark in Diamond noun
tain"
"What is hard stone aside from the
diamond"
THE aquamarine-a transparent beryl
of g-ecnish blue it is a lovely stone sis.
ter Of the emereld, and very hard. It
will cut ali the amethysts. but not the
topaz and is not affected by acids The
chrysoberyl (eats eyel is very hard but
ranks below sapphires, rnbies etc. Ii is
/ transparent to translucent green in many
shades. The chrysobrase is apple green
and the stones are very beautiful and
highly valued
How does the emerald rank with other
stonesT"
"rhe translucent or subtransparent
and green variety of the beryl, just as the
aquamarine is the transparent and blue
variety. but is very much more highly
priced. Emeralds rank next to the dia-
mond, ruby and finer sapphire. Oriental
emerald is the green sapphire very rare,
and very yaluabls."
'Are there stones that can be passed
for anothorg"
The garnet which is transparent and
red, depends upon its value altogether
on It's looks, for it can often pass as a
ruby"
"What is a blood stone?N
"a variety Of chalcedony of a deep
green color yariegated with blood red or
yelowish spots 1t is properly called
4 trope."
Name some other stones. I've run
out"
There is the hyacinth cinnamon stone
transparent yellow, red, brown. There
are garnet hycinths and zircon hyacinths
although its intrinsic qualities ought to
rank the ircon hyacinth drstthe market
rates il second. Then there is the laga.
lite (bue SPAR, translucent and deep
blue. Only the fine varieties are used
in the jewelrySbusiness.
/ Next the Mexican onyx, translucent
greenish white with veins of all colors,
makes lovely paper weights, ink-stands,
4 pipe bowls, etc. The onyx IS construct
! tu III mus ~ Ia gtiS VI NlAiNASAlb NCA'in
like agate, except that in the onyx the
J films are laid fiat while in an agate they
are like the peehngs of an onion. The
onyx is chiefly valued for cutting canoes
/ The choice colors in true onyx are white
black ana brown, Sardonyx has also a
Him Of caruelian red, The opal is trans
parent white, pale yellow, gray green and
red. 1t owes its power TO peculiar
power of exhibiting awonderful play of
colors as it is turned to various angles.
/ The most remarkable is the hre-opal.
/ Precious opal is the very finest ana most
delicately shaded aud tinted Of fire-opals.
! OF the ruby there is the spinel, trans
/ parent light or medium, or dark red.
/ The oriental ruby is of the same descrip-
ton. and very difficult TO distinguish
from the spinel. 1t is a degree harder.
+ As general rule the orientals are the
most valuable and sPinels of equal
beauty are handicapped by reputation.
i Oriental rubies Of the very finest quail
ties are moro valvuble than diamonds Of
the same weight.
Let me see-there is the sapphire,
/ transparent azure, celestial, etc, and
blue. Sapphires of the most celestial
bra and oU other GOOD qualities n e.