The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1895-01-18
PRECIOUS STONES.
Interesting Facts About Some Of
the Worlds Rare Gems.
Beautiful Agates and Crystals Known
to the AncieDts-The Diamond Not
the Most Valued, as Is Com
monty Supposed

monty Supposed
Beyond all question, the ruby stands
supreme as the most precious substance
in the world, says the New York Ad-
vertiser. So much many persons
know, but few are aware that rubies,
Sapphires, oriental amethysts and to-
PAGES are all practically the same gem.
They are corundum, or crystallized
alumina. but with infinite diversities
of coloring and infinite different values.
1t is curious, but true, that a ruby is
only red sapphire, and a sapphire
only blue ruby.
The finest pigeons blood rubies
come from Burmah, those from Siam or
Ceylon being too dark or too pale and
the Montana stones being cloudy and
brown. \ perfect one carat specimen
may cost six hundred dollars. while
diamond of the finest water of the
same size can be bought for one hun
dred and twenty-five dollars. The rich
color of the ruby, color which does
not blacken like the blue of a sapphire
by night, is supposed to be due to
trace of oxide of chromium, but this is
still moot point with chemists, and
all are not even agreed as to the sap
phire'S velvet tinge. This latter stone
is much less valuable than ruby, being
found larger and more abundantly.
Sapphires really present all colors. the
pure white variety, when sSillfully cut
being difficult to- tell from diamond.
This Is Il deception dishonest jewelers.
not unfrequently practice to catch the
unwary. Both rubies and sapphires
are occasionally met with as ''star
stoneS"-that is, opaque cabochon-cut
gems showing the perfect Steely rays
of a star.
The emerald Is another exceedingly
dear stone, surprising the diamond in
value when of good size and free from
flaws Unfortunately, this gem is rare
ly faultless, but, if perfect, ii easily
fetches five hundred dollars carat.
Emerald and aquamarine, the latter a
beautifully sunny Sea-green stone. are
identical in chemical composition. be-
ing 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 aquamarine variety has
lately become dear and fashiona BILE. and
rightly SO, for the stone is durable and
lovely object. The late emperor of
Brazil is said to have possessed an
aquamarine of over two hundred
ounces troy weight. The indefinite
colors of the beryl must have been
known for ages. since this gem repre-
sented the doubling Thomas
After perfect rubies and emeralds.
and perhaps after great pearls. comes
the diamond in value. This. too. has a
range of colors. the most priced being
red, blue. green, and water white. while
brown or gray tingeS are not quite
SO highly esteemed. The koh-i-Noor, of
one hundred and two and three-fourths
carats, ranks low in point of size with
some of the worlds great stones-for
instance with the Great Mogul. two
hundred and Seventy-nine carats in
weight. Diamond is the hardest
mineral known, brittle though it be;
acids do not affect it, and ii is also the
only combustible gem. 1t has high re
fractive and diSpersive powers (-'fire'').
and some specimens become phos-
phoreScent by the action of light. Ii
usually occurs as an eight-sided crystal.
The name topaz is applied to three
distinct kind of stones, to the oriental
topaz which is really yellow
sapphire: to the Scotch topaz. which Is
only quartz. just as amethysts are
violet-colored quartz of little value;
and to the brazilian topaz a vivaciOus.
sherry-colored gem which is the only
true topaz. This latter stone takes
high, brilliant polish. and 1t feels
slippery to the touch. The rose pink
topaz seen in shops is not a natural
color; it is obtained by subjecting the
dark yellow varieties to great heat.
The commercial value of topaz is eX-
tremely fiuctuating, one reason being
IL
on it.
Another gem, beautiful and interest
ing 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 accordingly The
gem is of all colors. the pure white ones
being hard to distinguish from dia-
monds. on account of their wonderful
fire. Chrysolite is just white. but it
is like glass compared with a diamond
or jargoon.
There are two kinds of chrySOberyl
used as gems. One the well-known
oriental cats-eye, an Opaque greenish
brown cabochon-cut stone, showing a
steely flash or line like silver wire; the
other, the little known but beautiful
and curious alexandrite. This unique
gem is olive or pistachio green by day
light. and ii has the remarkable prop
erty of turning a raspberry red by arti-
fetal light. The green tourmaline is
much like alexandrite by day. This is
the most chemically complex of all
gems. and it occurs also in red and
brown crystals