The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1903-02-21
GEMS ARE GROWING SCARCE.


Every year sees the price of emer
aids and rubies rise higher, owing tt
the working out of some OF the few
mines where these gems are found
There are diamonds aplenty, but the
De Beers syndicate manages to. hold
the price to its present height, and Il
is not likely that the great diamond
trust will ever be broken, states the
Washington Star. What, then, is the
world of ordinary folk to do for gems
Eventually, jewelers. say, the pub.
lie must come to proper apprecia.
ton of the worth of the so-called in
ferior stones. These are much priced
In other countries. If there is one
part of the world which might justly
De said to have a right to decide mat
tiers where precious stones are con-
cerned, it should be the orient, their
frst home, where they are loved and
understood as they never can be in
the western world. The verdict of the
east is in favor of a number of Jewels
which rarely find their way to the
windows of first-class dealer in this
country.
Chief among the neglected stones,
the day of which in the orient seems
to be in fair way of dawning at last,
are alexandrites, white and pink cats
eyes. carbuncles and Ceylon rubies.
VI these gems few really fine speci-
mems find their way to the Ameri-
can market, and such as are seen are
generally in crude or inappropriate
settings. The result is that these
stones do not appear to the best adj
vantage, and so have met with less
public favor than they deserve.
Take, for instance, the alexandria,
which possesses the remarkable quail
ty OF changing its color from green
ish yellow in the daytime to glow
ing red at night. When encircled with
diamonds it forms a beautiful orna-
ment, and can be set effectively in
gypsy rings, with emeralds or sap
phires.
To the superstitiously inclined the
alexandrite should appeal strongly.
Orientals hold that it not only pro-
tects the wearer from footpads, but
that those troubled with insomnia can
obtain good nights rest by gaz-
ing intently upon the stone after it
has changed color. The pink and
white sapphires are more highly priced
in eastern countries than the famil-
lar blue variety, because they pre-
serve better their luster and color at
night. In fact, the white sapphire
sheds such brilliancy by artificial light
that it requires an expert to distin-
guish 1t from a diamond. Yet both
pink and white sapphires are seldom
onered for sale out of the orient.
The carbuncle is another gem which
oriental jewelers. set artistically, to-
gether with moonstones, in bracelets
and girdles of gold fligree work. 1t
does not usually require the pocket
book of millionaire to become the
possessor of one of these ornaments,
but when the stones are of the purest
quality they may be costly. A girdle
OF carbuncles and moonstones in the
possession of Queen Alexandra is val
ued at $4,000. a
To many people the carbuncle has
one serious defect. The superstitious
say that this stone occasionally devel-
Dps black spots, which are infallible
signs of impending misfortune. When
a black spot appears in carbuncle
owned by Hindoo, he loses no time in
it to some one for whom
ne cherishcs secret aversion. He |
thus passes the stone with its unlucky |
spot on to where he thinks it will do /
he most good or evil.
AS to the cats eye, SO potent charm
against sickness is this gem consid-
cred by orientals that the loss or COM
Dulsory parting with one is viewed
Is little short of personal calamity.
More than this, the cats eye is sup
,osed to endow it's possessor with Sec
md sight, so that he can perceive and
.heckmate the evils of his enemies.
Be this as it may, a fine cats eye, when
by brilliants, is a mag
lificent ornament. and the only rea-
ION one can assign to its meeting with
ess favor In the west than the east
8 that it is too often confused with
he worthless Chinese pebble sold un-
Ter the same name.
For $4,000 you can purchase fair
y large perfect diamond, and for the
anne sum even rubies and emeralds
t their present high value are with
! your reach. And $4,000 was the
rice paid by the nizam of Hydera-
ad few years ago for the cats
ye which ,adorns his state turban.
rue, it is a matchless specimen and
large as pigeons egg, but it
erves to show that cats eyes have
ome right to be classed as among
ems of the first order.
Waite Oranges.
In few years white oranges may
race the American dinner table or
be Italian fruit wagon. One of the ex-