Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1903-02-20
SCARCITY OF GEMS.
The More Precious Stones Are Grow
Ing Higher in Price.
Mines Arc workrd-Out ana the Pro-
ducers Are More GraspInK Than
Eve-An I~nt-Ir~IInE Chap
ter on Gems.

Every year sees the price of emer-
aids and rubies rise higher, owing to
til" working out of some of the few
mines where these gcIns are found.
There are diamonds aPlenty. but the
De Beers syndicate manages TO hold
the price to its present height. and it
is not likely that iLv great diamond
trust viii ever be broken. states the
Washington Star. What. then. is the
world OF ordinary folk To do fof gems?
Eventually, jewellers say, the pub
lie must come TO n proper npprecia-
ton of the worth of the so-callcd in
ferior stones. These are much priced
in other countries. If there is one
part OF the world which might justly
be said TO have Il right to decide mat
tiers where precious stones are on
ccrned. il should bc the orient. their
first home, where they are loved and
understood as they never can be- in
the western world. The verdici OF the
east is in favor Of Il number of Jewels
which rarely find their way 10 the
windows of a iirst-class dealer in this
country.
Chief among the neglected stones.
the day of which in the orient seems
10 be in n fair way of dawning at last,
are alcNaudri;cs, white and pink cats
eyes, carbuTcles and Icylon rubics.
Of these gems few really fine speci-
mems fins their way TO the Amcri-
can market. and sue as are seen are
generally in crude or inappropriate
settings. III result i that these
stones do moi appear to the best adj
vantage. ard 50 have me; with less
public favor than they deserve.
Take. for instance, the ~HirNandrite,
which possesses the remarkable uuuii-
~ of changing its color from green
ish yellow in the daytime to a glow
ing red AT night. When rncirclcd with
diamonds il forms n beautiful orna-
men;, and can he. set effectively in
gypsy rings. with emernlds or sap
phircs.
To the superstitiously inclined the
alexandria should appeal strongly.
Orientals hold that il not ouly pro-
tects the wcar,r from fontpads. hut
that those troubled With insumnia San
obtain n good nights rest by ga&-
ing i~ntonily upon the stone after IL
'"- 'h"AA'Na a l' llAllH anu
white sapphircs are more highly priced
in eastern countries than the famiI-
lar blue variety. BECAUSE they pre-
serve better their lustrr and ro!.r at
night. In fact. the white .apphire
sheds such brilliaucy 10y artificial light
that II requires an expert 10 U,srin-
guish ii from Il diamond. Yet both
pink and white sarphircs are seldom
offered 10. sale ~; of N" orient.
The c"rhuucle is another Z, IN which
oriental jewelers. set ariiStirally, to-
g"thcr with m~oUu>tuucS. in bracelets
and girdlrs Of gold iiligrcc work. IT.
does NOT usually T"Quir, The pocket
book Of II millionaire I" become the
! pOsScsSDr Of one Of thee orunuI, MS,
but when the stones are OF the pur,st
quality they may bc costly. \ girdle
OF carlHImclcs and moonstoncs in the
possession OF Queen Alexandra is val
ued At siI.UO0.
To m~Hy people the carbunclr has
one serious defect. The suprrstitiuus
LAY that this stone occasionally dc,-l-
ops black spots. which are iufullibIe
signs Of impending misfortune. When
a black spot appears in Il ]carbuncie
owned hy "a Hindou. lv loses no 'imr .a
presenting i, to some one for whom
he chcrish"s IA secret aversion. He
thus pasScs the siour with its unlucky
spot III to where hC thinks il will do
the musi good or evil.
As To the cats eye, so potent a charm
against sickness il this gem cunsid-
cred 10y OTi-Htals that the loss or COM
puls"gy parting with one is viewed
as little short OF personal calamity.
More than this, the eats eye j. sup.
posed TO cndow it's posscsSor with Sec
Ond sight. 81 that he can perceive md
chcckrnat" the evils Of his enemies.
BE this as il may. n fin" eats eye. when
surrounded ny brilliuuts, is n mag.
nihccnt ornament. and the only rca-
son one can assign to it's meeting with
less favor in the west than the EAST
is that IL is too often confused with
the worthless Chinese pebble sold nm.
der the samc name.
For $2j,nDp you can purchase n fair.
~ large perfect diamond, and for the
same sum even Tuair. HIrl r.n"rnIds
IT their pr. sent high ,uiuc are with
~ your Grr,ii. Mud S25.Ouu was the
price paid hy ID" ni.um If IIvdcra.
bad q few year. 49,, for thu ats
y" which HdorE- III state iuT.an.
True, il j, u mattel lc,. -uorimrn rnd
n inrg" rs u pir "u'- egg. but il
serves 10 -h"w thH, ats eyes have
some right +" b" cIasscd rs among
gems of the first order.
! ANEEIan Wonao ConIno IN IIIt.oI.