The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-11-18
A VALUABLE STONE.
The Oriental Ruby is the Most Pre-
cious of All Gems.

From the Scotsman.
In trade three classes of Subies are
Observation-Disclosures of the Orient.
rubies of Siam and spinel rubies.
The different varieties called balass
rubies, Brazil rubies, rose rubies. ru-
bace rubies, rock rubies, Siberian ru-
bies, ETC., cannot be compared at all
with the preceding, of which they have
neither the composition nor the con-
stitution. Apart from the balass ruby
which, from scientifis viewpoint, does
not differ from the spinel ruby, all the
others are, properly speaking only coll
ored quartz or feldspar.
The ruby of the Orient is the first Of
all colored stones in beauty as in
price. It's marvellous hue is that of
human blood as it jets from an open
artery, that OF the red ray of the solar
spectrum at its maximum intensity.
The ruby is of the most exquisite
products of nature, but it is becoming
more and more rare to find it perfect.
1t even causes establishment to find an
Oriental ruby as large in size as the
topazes and sapphires of the same
countries. If ii reaches a certain size
it is almost always filled with defects.
Rubies of all sizes are put to use.
The smallest, down to twenty or thirty
carat, are employed specially for deli
cate jewels, for numbers, figures, etc.
Many of the smallest are cabochons.
When a ruby exceeds the weight of a
carat 1t commands high price. A
ruby may fetch ten or twenty ,times
the price of a diamond of the same
weight If 1t is really of superior quail
ity.
1t may be interesting to give the fig
ures at which rubies were valued fifty
years ago. They were much lower than
to-day. A perfect ruby of one carat
was priced at 24O francs; of two car
ats, $50 francs; three carats, 5000
francs; five carats, 14,400 francs. and
six carats, $4,000 francs.
In general the cutting as a brilliant
is alone suitable for a fine ruby. The
ruby is very hard, almost as high as
the sapphire. 1t was but little used
for engraving in ancient times, doubt
less because of the difficulty of finding
those offering a sufficient surface, a
reason more plausible than the explain
alton that the wax adhered to seals
made with this substance.
The carbuncle, to which the ancients
attributed fantastic properties. was no
other than the ruby. 1t served, as is
said, to give light to certain large SER
penis or dragons whose sight had been
enfeebled by age; they bore them con-
stantly between their teeth and laid
them down only for eating and drink
ing 1t is even claimed that the car
buncle emitted light in darkness. and
that the thickest clothing could not
stop it's rays.
Without all the exaggeration of such
legends it was believed for a long time
that rubies contained luminous rays.
The truth is that they have double re-
fraction and send out the red rays with
unequaled brililancy. Traversed in a
vacuum by an electric current they are
illuminated with red fire of extreme
intensity. The greatest heat does not
change their form or their color.
The most beautiful rubies come from
Ceylon. India and China The mines
of Pegu are nearly exhausted or but
little worked to-day. The regions where
they are situated are dangerous Of
approach; besides, in the states Of the
Grand Mogul the expectation of ru-
bies is forbidden until they have been
exhibited TO the sovereign. who retains
the most beautiful.
The large rubies OF the Orient, being
excessively rare, are so much the more
celebrated. The largest known in Eu-
rope is said to be the one that the Rus
sian caravans brought from China
with other precious stones In exchange
for their peltries and which forms to-
day one OF the rarest ornaments OF the
Imperial Court Of Russia.
II IL seen By the inventory OF 1891
that France possessed 81 Oriental ru.
bies, of diverse forms and qualities
one OF them remained for a long time
IN a rough state. IN consequence OF
two or three points which could not
be removed without seneibly diminish
ing the value Of the stone; but q dia-
nl0nd artist was able 70 pat these de-
fects 70 use ana transformed the rough
stone 20 a dragon with ontftrefchsd
wings This ~ the most beautiful
oriental ruby known.
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