The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-05-31
GEMS ARE BECOMING RARE.
Emeralds and Pearls I'm Great Demand
and supply Cannot he
Chicago Chronicle.


Among the scarcest among precious
stones to-day are emeralds and pearls, inc
they are more highly priced by many than
are diamonds of the purest water: Dealers
find themselves compelled to supply the de-
mands of their customers from private
sources. This condition of the market has
been coming on gradually, until now II IS
an important feature I'm the buying and
selling OF the stone. 1t is not so much the
result of an increased demand, although
pearls are becoming more popular each
year, as on account OF a falling OF I'm the
worlds supply of gems.
The decrease in the worlds output OF en-
eralds during the past few years has been
such as TO cause grave alarm among the
most conservative OF precious stone deal
ers in New York and Lordon. Unless new
mines are discovered soon AZ is not unlike
ly that emeralds will become the rarest
precious stones In the world. AS the con-
dition of the market is now they are worth
in stones larger than five carats from two
10 ten times as much as frst-water dia-
monds. Several stones now in the hands
OF New York dealers are worth from si5.-
600 to $4,000 apiece. while they range from
ten to thirty carats in size and are not
free from imperfections.
In spite Of the fact that emeralds We're
among the earliest stones mined by the
ancients, and have since been discovered
in different parts OF the globe. there is
practically but one country in the world
to-day where they are still being mined
at a proht- And even the mines there are
not considered valuable enough TO merit an
expenditure Of money for improvements
and more modern machinery, and are still
being worked by the same crude method
that was employed almost a century ago.
Within the past fifty or sixty years en-
eralds have been discovered in Russia, on
the Asiatic slope of the Ural mountains: In
Austria, Australia and in North Carolina
Mines were opened at all these places and
companies formed TO work them. but in
a short time they were abandoned as profit
less, in some cases the quality OF stones
being too poor and In other cases the cost
of mining too great. The present supply
comes from Peru. South America, from
what is known as the Muzo district.
The method OF obtaining the gems from
private sources is unique. individuals
known TO have large collections OF precious
stones are communicated with and offered
double the amount they paid for an
emerald. In many cases advertising and
personal solicitation are resorted 10 and
stones have recently been obtained by
dealers at a cost three times as great as
the same stone was valued at ten or ff-
teen years ago. Because the emerald was
originally an Oriental stone, and was known
to be quite plentiful I'm the days OF the
ancients. many OF the most enterprising
emerald hunters are now circulating among
the Eastern rajahs and Indian rulers in
search of them. In many cases they are
very successful. for the emerald was much
priced by the early Asiatic and Egyptian
nations. and valued stones have been
handed down in the same families for GEN.
turtles till the present day.
The scarcity OF the pearl results from
two causes The demand Is greater than
ever before and the fisheries are not be-
ing sufficiently protected. TX Is estimated
that in a few years Oriental pearls will
be selling at almost double the price they
are bringing now. The discovery OF the
valuable pearl fisheries I'm Arkansas a year
ago has helped TO keep the Oriental variety
from soaring too high In price. but the
American supply has practically run out
now and unless measures 10 protect the
fisheries are adopted soon they will be al
most totally destroyed.
A dispatch from London in the last week
$1,000. .nEnfn nA~A IN 900 - ~
pearl supply OF Europe and declares that
the stock Is being rapidly exhausted, while
there Is no hope OF the demand abating.
Prices are going higher almost weekly
and owners OF pearl jewelry who have had
them for years are beginning TO realize
on them at double the amounts they cost.