Idaho semi-weekly world., 1890-09-02
m0n,,rAcTuRso GEMS.
..s.and Rubles Not Distinsa'shA''s
'App from Real stones

sanphlres mud Rubies Not p's'
from Real stones
In the long gallery on the top nvoa ,
49, n,ueenm at Sevres Is mouesV-io
49, r,ass case about two feet squato'
aisidad s into compartments, cach con
- .a;rinc a cnemicai. There Isl blue SUI
stance. red substance ana sono - aarn.
white CRYSTALS. In the lase WV ,.,n,
nartments are two saucers coh'"'Ae
small colored stones ,ras
These stones are genuine sapphi'es
and rubies undistinguishable irou sn
real stones by any chemical 'os~
and only differing from them IN 'no
fact that they have been mahula's
ured not found; or, TO use
technical expression, they have oeeh
PRODUCED synthetically. The other con-
tonts of the case are the substances
used in making these precious STONES.
The rubies. of which there are about
dozen, are small, certainly not iaise.
than grain of wheat, and very uni,olu
in size. They are in the shape OF resu,
lar rhomboid crystals, that's, four slueu
but not rectangular, and apparently
fawless; but as they are rougn anu ~ mn-
cnt II ia not easy TO deJect flaws. Inc
coloring, as is the case with al uiiouS
stones, is somewhat dull, ana mlgh' 10
described as slaty lake.
The sapphires are much larger anu
| vary in size, the smallest being aoou'
as large as a pea and the largest rather
bigger than hazel nut, but in crystai-
ization they are very inferior to the
rubies. They approach, it is true' the
rhomboid form, but very roughly ana
with pronounced Irregularities. one
stone. for instance, has body almost
square with spur projecting from IT,
the whole being almost like saucepan
in shape.
All the larger stones show d1stinct
lines of cleverage, so that they wouio
lose large part of their weight IN cut
ting. The sapphires are not OF the DARK
blue type, but have tendency to pur'
ple. being almost exactly the shade o.
Cevlon stones. The color would per
haps be best described as blue with
reddish sheen. There is strong lam
ilv likeness between the two classes OF
stone, and one could almost guess iron
their mere appearance that they hat
been produced by similar processes. II
fact. the base of both rubies and sap
phires is the same, and they differ onl.
, in coloring matter
The base is silicate of alumina, or Il
common language, combination Q
aluminium and flint. In order to pre-
duce rubies the silicate is mixed will
bichromate of potash, and the whole
kept at a certain temperature for severa
hours until the fusion is complete. Fo
sapphires, cupric sulphate or sulphat
of copper is substituted for the bicf
romate, but otherwise the process o
manufacture is the ;ame. The great diff
Guilty is to obtain regularity of crystal
cation.
The rubies tend to break up into tc
small pieces while the sapphires III
rough and full of flaws. Apart from tn
the stones are not limitations, but II
/ productions of the natural jewels
! France it is illegal to sell them {
rubies and sapphires without statir
/: that they are artificial But even if Il
/; sale were illegal it is not likely that the
=; would come into the market in sutficiel
: quantities to depreciate the natur
9 stones, owing to the difficulties
r production yet to be overcome. -Jewe
> er's Weekly.