The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-12-24
ALL ABOUT GEMS.
Interesting Reading for Women and
All Who Love Jewels.

Chicago Dispatch.
The black diamond is so hard that it cam
The best opals are obtained from Hungary
and Honduras.
Black, pink and golden pearls are more
valuable than white.
Emerald is now one or the rareSt OF prec-
ious stones.
The star sapphire shows in its depths a
white star with five rays.
The emerald has long been regarded as
specific for sore eyes.
The play of color in the opal Is due TO
minute assures in the stone.
Diamonds are so small that 1,5OO go to the
carat that have been cut in Holland.
An uncut diamond looks very much like
bit of the best gum arabic.
The best pearls are found on the Ceylon
coast and in the Persian gulf.
The diamond in sufficient heat will burn
like piece of charcoal.
Every gem known to the lapidary has
been found in the United States.
The Orion diamond is believed to be re-
sponsible for siXty-seVen murders.
The island of Ceylon is the most remark
able gem deposit in the world.
Pliny. in the first century, was the first
writer to describe the diamond.
The carat, used in estimating the weight
of gems, is a grain of Indian wheat
The pearl is only carbonate of lime, is
readily affected by acids and burns into
lime
The pearl is the only gem that does not re-
quire the lapidary's art to bring out its
beauty.
795 carats
The diamond has been found on all the
continents and in almost every country in
the world.
The diamond mines Of Brazil have yielded
over 15,0OO,OOO carats of stones, valued at
To the habit of burying gems with the
owners we owe the preservation of many of
the most antique jewels.
The perfectly round pearls are the most
valuable; next in order come the pearl
shaped, and lastly the egg-shaped.
ha aHO no of
the English crown is the same that Edward
the Confessor wore in his ring.
Pearls are sometimes found whose outer
layer is discolored. These, stones may be
skinned and thus improved.
When first taken from the mines opals are
so tender and fragile that they may be
picked to pieces with the finger nail.
The emerald improves in color on exposure
to the light Pearls kept in the dark lose
their luster, but regain IL on exposure to the
sun.
After the discovery of the Brazilian dia-
mond mines 1,147 ounces of diamonds were
shipped to Portugal in one year, and the
price fell to s. a carat
The topaz took it's name from Greek
word meaning guess, since the ancientS
could only guess at the locality whence
this beautiful stone was obtained.
The sultan of Turkey has the richest col
lection of gems and regalia in the world.
The peacock throne of Shah Jehan was
valued at $3O,OOO0O0 his crown at $12,500,000
and when he died S25O,OO0,OOO worth of gems
were found in his treasury.
The diamond is believed to be of recent
geological formation, and a microscopic ex-
animation often discloses in its substance
minute plants and vegetable fibers.
The diamond is not among the earliest
gems known TO man. 1t has not been found
in the ruins of Nineveh, in the Etruscan
sepulchers, nor in the tombs of the Phoeni-
clans.
Opals are so sensitive that exposure to
moisture or heat, or even sudden atmos-
pheric change, sometimes ruins them. a
ruby or the best quality and more than
three carats is worth more than a diamond
of the same size and weight.
Artificial agateS are now made by so
many different and effective processes that
the stone has lost much of its value as a
gem.
After the conquest of Mexico and Peru
emerald5 were abundant that one Span
ish nobleman took home three bushels of
them.
The diamond, though hard, is one Of the
most brittle OF stones. a fall on a wooden
floor will sometimes crack and ruin a fine
specimen.
Garnets are brought from Bohemia, Cey-
lon, Peru and Brazil. The most common
color is a shade CT red, but brown, yellow
green, and even black varieties are known
Pure stones are never larger than a hazel
nut.