Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1894-11-01
PRECIOUS STONES
Ruby the Most Valuable Substance in &
World and the Rarest.

Ruby the Most Valuable Substance in the
World and the Rarest.
Beyond all question. the ruby stands Sc
| preme as the most precious substance In the
world. So much many persons know, bui
few are aware Shat rubies. sapphires. Orient.
al amethysts and topazes are all practically
the same gem. They are corundum, o.
crystallized alumina. but with infinite di.
versities OF color,ng and infinite different
values. 4 is curious. but true, that ruby
is only a red sapphire. and a sapphire only
a blue ruby.
The finest ''pigeTn's blood" rubIes come
from Bhrma. those from Siam or Ceylon be-
ing too dark or too pale. and the Montana
stones being cloudy and brown. A per.
fec. one carat specimen may cost 5000,
while a diamond of the finest water Of the
same size can be bought for s125. The rich
color Of the ruby. a color which does moi
blacken like the blue Of a sapphire by night
is supposed to be due to a trace Of oxide OF
chromium, but this is still a moot point
with chemists. and all are not even agreed
as TO the sapphire's velvet tinge. Thii
latter stone is much less valuable than ruby,
being found larger and more abundantly.
Sapphires really present all colors, the pure
white variety, when skillfully cut, being
difficult to tell from a diamond. This is
deception dishonest jewellers not unfrequent-
ly practice TO catch the unwary. Both
rubies and sapphires are occasionally met
with as star stones"-that is, opaque ca
bochon-cut gems showing the perfect steely
rays Of a star. A star ruby Is excessively
rare, but the sapphire star Is fairly common.
t. n~lxr A..
stone, surprising the diamond In value when
of good size and free from flaws. Unfor-
tunately, this gem is rarely faultless; but,
II perfect, II easily fetches $500 a carat.
Emerald and aquamarine, the latter beau
uful sunny sea-green stone, are identical
In chemical composition, being varieties OF
the mineral beryl with traces of different
coloring matter. Beryl is found in all
shades from honey yellow to the velvet
green OF the right emerald. The aquamar-
inc variety has lately become dear and fash.
ionable, and rightly 30, for the stone is dur
able and lovely object. The bate Emperor
of Brazil is said to have possessed an aqua
marine Of over two hundred ounces Troy
weight. The indefinite colors Of the beryl
must have been known for ages, since this
gem represented the doubling Thomas.
After perfect rubies and emeralds, and
perhaps after great pearls. comes the dia-
colors, the most priced being red, blue,
green, and water white, while brown or
gray tinges are not quite 30 highly es-
teemed. The Koh-i-Noor, Of 102 "a carats,
ranks low in point OF sise with some of
the worlds great stones-for instance with
the Great Mogul, 279 carats in weight.
Diamond is the hardest mineral known,
brittle though 1t be; acids do not affect
1t, and It is also the only combustible gem,
It has high refractive and dispersive pow
ers c'fre), and some specimens become
phosphorescent by the action of light Il
usually occurs as an eight-sided crystal.
The name topaz is applied to three dis
tinct kinds of stones; to the Oriental topaz,
which is really a yellow sapphire; to the
Scotch topaz, which Is only quartz, just
as amethysts are Wolet-colored quartz of
little value; and to the Brazilian topaz, q
vivacious, sherry -coiored gem which Is the
only true topaz. This latter stone takes a
high, brilliant polish, and 1t feels slippery
to the touch. The rose pink topaz seen In
shops is not a natural color; 1t is obtained
by subjecting the dark yellow varieties to
great heat. The commercial value Of topaz
is extremely fuctuating, one reason being
that light exercises bleaching efect on
1t.
Another gem, beautiful and interesting in |
itself. which Is occasionally sold for the true |
ruby. is the red Zircon. also called jargoon |
and jacinth or hyacinth Jewellers call these |
stones "jacinth rubies" and charge accord |
ingly. The gem Is Of all colors. the pure |
white ones being hard to distinguish from |
diamonds, on account Of their wonderful |
fire. Chrysolite is Just as white. but It is |
like glass compared with diamond or jar |
COON,