The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-03-22
SEMI-PRECIOUS STONES.
a GROWING PUBLIC INTEREST ~
MINERALOGICIL GEMS.
Range OF Color or the SpiaeI thnt Make It
Valuable Lustre s.a Mas shades sC the
Heryi- Valuable 0arneta-Sourcc 81 the
Tnrnnnnasa NJ -rn.a..


-Lu-tre sna May shades sCths
Beryi-vsiuAbIs asr.ets-sourcc 81 the
Tsrqusises OF CeHmerce-TopnSss.
Pubic interest In the fancy or aemLpre-
cious stones has Increased greatly IN America
since the Centennial Exposition OF 1875. For.
merly jewellers sold only diamonds, rubies.
sapphires, emnraldp, opals, pearls. garnets. and
aRates, tut now II is not unusual for the miner.
illogical gems. such as zircon. star sapphire,
star ruby, tourmsllDe, splrel. or ~titanite, TO
be called for. not only by collectors. but also
by tho public. whose taste Inns advanced as
much In precious stones as IL has in art.
Splnel Is the most valuable OF the semi pre-.
cious stones. and Is one Of the few minerals
that are ornamental and beautiful enough for
gems, in their natural state. No other stone
has go wide n range of color. and each color In
turn IL represented by many distinct shades.
The fame. red and crimson stones have boon
mistaken and sold for rubles, bnt, although
the hue may be vivid, yet It lacks the richness
of the ruby. The orange-red spinels are called
rubicelles, the pink ones balas rubles, and a
charming variety OF blues, blue green's. inky
blues, purples, and violets, terminating In the
black spinel, called plconaste. gives this stone
a range Of color almost uneuualled.
One would little expect to find among tho
jewels OF the Queen OF the Ruby mines any
other than true rubics: but the English officer
WnU. IN 1850, tOOk IDe nAlrplu from the DTl-
vate chamber OF Soup Y-La, the Queen Of Bur.
nah. in the palace at Mandhlay, was surprised
to find that the red jewel in 1t was not a true
ruby, but a fine ruby spinel.
Beryl is enc of the most lustrous and brill
liant of gems, and occurs In a variety of shades
OF yellow, golden yellow. yellow brown. brown.
green. sage. and grass green. A~quamarins is
the term applied to the white, light green.
light blue. and yellow green beryls. 40 called
from their resemblance to tho color OF sea
water. The yellow ones have been called
golden beryls. All hese varieties are often
exceedingly beautiful and brilliant. The finest
aauamarines arc found in Russia. Brazil, Cey-
lon, Maine, New Hampshire. Connecticut, and
Mount Antero, Colorado; at the last locality,
OF ala elevation of l+,000 feet, almost on tho
line OF perpetual snow.
Tho large aquamarine now at the Field Coll
umbian Museum In Chicago. the finest ever
found In the United States. is from stoneham.
Ne. II is brilliant cut and weighs 1884 carats.
The color is light blush green, and. with the
exception Of a few hair-like internal stria-
tions, It is perfectly clear. One Of the finest
known beryls is a superb blue-green crystal.
found In the Trails in 1926. weighing six pounds,
and valued at sas goo, L. is nov st the School
Of Prince Murnt. sold in the Hope collection.
i snd ts Shown ITDs az Of s sss- f PSfi. a9 Expositios on OF a i Saae
and now, in tho James Garland collection in
The name topaz generally suggests only a
ys eriss. sto ns,GyT yet there are Light blue Ss. and iI green
aquamarines. though the topazes are heavier
than ~aquamarines. and l have frequently de-
c seStsd shs a thsm1 To %stho adm TesH OF y see p sEs6
polish, and IL very slippery to the touch.
Strange to say. the yellow :opaz when slightly
grows paler. and BY long heating is entirely ex-
PEELED. leaving the gem colorless: The sherry |
1a- n- Irl,-r A1yNn. 10 IAnaNa l., - .---
short time by the rays of the sun, or strong
daylight, and al the white topszes found in ma
topaz is found in granite rocks In Siberia, |
Japan. Peru. Ceylon, Australia, Brazil. and
Maine. and in volcanic rocks in Colorado. Utah. |
One Of the most beautiful of all gems. and
one On not .l knoTI 1o two t decades e. as2, Is the green
aid" or "Bo,rowsfa garnet" found at Pold.
new ala. near sysserk. in the eovernme emit Of
green to an intense emerald color, and has such |
z power of refrasting light that T. shows a dis.
the evening has almost the appearance of .
green diamond;
and hSe e99ens Gv hos seuahs s saddH ScrR R"i in The ,o re-.
gton near Meronitz, Bohemia, where 1t is gath.
cred from surface deposits and congiomerate
rocks. coming from a decomposed peridotite.
The gathering and cutting form a great indus
liar conditions in the diamond-bearing rocks
Of South Africa. and also in Arizona and New
Me5t co,or and d d from in both sd an these sos, regions SSasn S gems Of
of Cape rubies and Arizona rubies. The ART
can stones are larger than the, American. and
the latter are much richer by artificial light.
Only. the clear blood-red color then remains
int sisto' iscl Mhlis to s1s Sro own Rboat i 5000 w @sth
of cut stones from Arizona are sold annually. |
from $50 to 500 each. 'Ae
The turauoises Of commerce come from Nlsh-
GuoiseI. and several localities in New Mexico.
Those from Persia are OF a softer blue and
epsSgIs; those tr fsS% ESyp: :c E ns1hsr 70 blue S,s sad
those, from New Mexico are a fine blue. and
fully half a million dollars, worth has been sold
clay slate. There is in the color Of the best
iHPan ths fact t Rssp the ds alHia.tsy bl PSrt tint fi s mIn.
gled with q slight Infusion Of green and partly
Quoise is not Opaque, thin splinters transmit
ting light easily and cutting and scraping like
The true turquoise, which shows various hues
and tones Of blue. Sreeni.hh blue, blush green.
auoise. or odorntoIite. Which is = a fossil bone.
colored by phosphate or Iron.
Turquoise often becomes green by age. as may
be frequently seen in turquoise canoes OF the |
Italian ~cinquecc nto, When green spots appear
on turquoisss the color can often be restored by
parts Of alcohol and, ammonia, or Unloading
Them for a time in fuller's earth wet with alco.
absorption Of grease or other fatty compounds
which separate from the. soap when the hands
leave oily essences upon evaporation. Some:
times, ho wever. they result from q natural |
change. and hence this beautiful gem cannot be
guaranteed. although the owners of the Ameri- |
can mines replace any stone that changes color |
within six months. In u coronation chair In the
Kremlin are several old turquoises, some Of
which are beautifully blue. while others in the
same chair have changed TO green. Turquoise
has been found all the way from Colorado to |
Peru. GEORGE F.. KUNz,
The Negro Slave that Became = Bishop.
Prom the YOUTHS Companion
American travellers I'm ENGLAND. as n rule. |