The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1890-04-05
FACTSEABOUT OPALS.
As.as .~~A
Where the Finest Specimens OF
the Gem Are Obtained.
The Mines of Honduras and Hungary Tho
Famous Ring of the Roman Senator
Nonius-POpular SuperstitiOns At
tached to the Charming Stone.

NOnius-POpular SuperstitiOns At
tached to the Charming Stone.
The records regarding old opal mines are
lost, but it is supposed that the ancients de-
rived their supply from Arabia and Syria,
says wi1terin the San Francisco Chroni-
cle The famous Hungarian mines were
not discovered until late in the fifteenth
century, and were, Of course, unknown to
the Romans. The principal mines from
whence opals are obtained to-day are stu
ated i'll Hungary and Honduras. The
American opal lacks the hardness of the
hungarian gem, but 1t is fully as brilliant
ana Wlthstands atmospheric inroads upon
the colors quite as well. The magnificent
characteristic OF the gem, which gives it
value ana renown, is the brilliant combina-
tlon o1 coiored reflections which it DISPLAYS
ana When the stone is held in the sunlight
the Latin philosopher was correct in stat
ing that 1t was made up of the glories of the
most precious stones.
The gem is found not only in porcelain
earth but also in tissures and seams of old
lgneous rocks. Quartz, when fiawed in the
interior, sometimes exhibits remarkable
irldescence, and resembles the opal especial
lywhen viewed at a distance. Such speci-
mems are called iris. The elegant iris orna-
ments worn by the Empress Josephine were
of remarkable brilliancy and the wonder
and envy of the Imperial court. She also
possessed the finest opal of modern times,
winch was only displayed when arrayed in
all the grandeur Of full Imperial splendor
u was indeed fitting ornament for 80
beautiful woman. Its flashing rays of
Light were so powerful and vivid as to give
the appearance Of living flames of fire, and
from that it received its title 'Lincendir de
Irole"-the burning Of Troy. The fate of
the gem is unknown, but with the history
OF the fair owner the most casual reader ia
familiar.
Empress Eugenie had a superstitious
dread, amounting to positive aversion, for
the beautiful opal, and the stone was
stranger at the brilliant court. 1t is pos
sible that Eugenie may have been in
fluenced in her hatred of the gem from
Josephine's fondness for the same, and at
trlbuted to the mysterious workings of the
ilery mineral some subtle, malign in
1luence that conspired to bring about her
downfall. But the fact remains inscribed
upon the pages of history that, although the
opal was vigorously banished from Ver-
salles and the Tuilleries, Eugene fed from
Paris under cover of darkness, covering
with terror in the dusty depths of shabby
reached her ears.
The famous opal of history was that
which was worn in ring by the Roman
Senator Nonus in the days of the Triumyi-
rato. Its size scarcely exceeded that of a
hazel nut, yet its beauty and brilliancy
rendered tia marvel among the dilettanti
)i Rome, and it was valued at nearly 81
No,uD0 Marc Antony, bearing in mind the
sacrifice OF Cleopatra's Incompatible pearl,
and Still enslavcd by the Egyptian Queens
irresistible charms, made Overtures for the
opal, intending to present it to the dusky
peauty; but Nonius refused to part with his
CHERISHED gem, and sought safety IN flight
Inc extreme beauty and charm may be
rslhated when it is known that to
no'iiah punishment was worse than DEATH
''s'ory makes no further mention of this
Mto"uerlul opal 1t has disappeared from
o worlds collection of gems, and its
S.or'es s, nave probably yielded to the de-
Strucnve M effects of time.
II g. ms hre opal is found IN it's greatest per-
ate Toaioh IN the porphyritic rocks at Zimapan,
na,an IA"o' itis generally of hyacinth red
Ln,I,; Ui' ana CLEANS forth with flashes of
so;,,;n.. ",'aht carmine, with yellow and green
a',ohs. The Mexican production sur
pu5 p,5'es all other varieties in the intensity
0 seoushesS or its hues, but it will not
sn a exposure, and the sensitive surface
eVon' aVon loses its flashing beauties They bring
uaoroltaht prices in Mexico when sold to the
,nnwary' who learn all too soon, upon re-
tug turn'lg 10 the haunts of civilization, that
u"ey nad paid nearly fifty per cent. too
mu1h ior the gems. The Spanish historians,
@ 90 a"elr marvellous stories of the wonders |
% Soe' IN Mexico at the time of the conquest,
uoserlDe the image of the mystic idol Quet- |
%eoatl lgod of the ar), on the great pyra-
n,i,i nil Vi Cholula, as wearing mter waving |
n "on pumcs OF fire, and which was sup |
ih posoa TO have been produced by masses Of |
al, me ,' colors displayed by the opal embrace
s, an ,le tlnts in the solar spectrum. The
nHaues OF green, blue, yellow and red are
AVG n'siu ana clear The purchase OF opals in
olo rough, natural state is hazardous rs
,1lLeruiatlon, ,l for frequently after having left
ane linds OF the lapidary the stone has be-
t so'ie transparent, hueless stone. The
Sentral American opal in numerous m
s,aices s, has been known to fade and gradu-
I@a-