Omaha daily bee., 1916-02-03
The Story of the Emerald

A CORRESPONDENT asks where erneralds orgi-
"A nally came from; whether they are next IN
hardness to the diamond. and which are the
most valuable
The ancients obtained their emerslds mainly from
upper Egypt along the western borders Of the REQ
sea since the discovery OF America the princi-
pal OF fine emeralds has been at Muso' near
Bogota, In the Republic OF Colombia, where mine
has been worked for the last three centuries.
Emeraids do not rank next TO the diamond In hard
ness that place OF honor being taken by sapphires.
They may dispute the third place with topaz. but they
certainly ranked fourth coming between
quartz and topaz II is recken the hardness
OF minerals a scale OF TO- The diamond stands at
top. with points, the sapphire is credited with
points. the topaz with s. tho emerald with ~ to T.
and quartz with z
The characteristics color OF emeralds brilliant,
vivid green The shades vary somewhat. but only an
expert can select among them. The emerald is a
variety the mineral called beryi, whose transparent
specimens also valued gems. II Is silcate
of aluminium combined with the rare element giuci-
beryllium.
The eolors Of beryls are green blue. yellow. white
and reddish The peculiar rich green OF the emerald
is due to the presence Of a small amount Of axide
Of chromium. Emeralds, account OF the rarity OF
the best specimens. often sold at prices as high
those OF diamonds Of equal or even greater sza
There is bluish-green variety OF the beryl known
squamarine. a gem OF much less value than the
emerald. which is found in many places. including
Maine. New Hampshire. North Carolina and Colorado
in this country Opaque crystals Of berry, occasionally
attain an size There is a specimen found
at Grafton N. H.. which weighs 29Oo pounds, and
others weighing ton or more are known or course,
these masses although composed Of the mineral bery
have value gems. Other som-transparent cry
tails Of beryl attain several pounds in weight.
1t is an interesting fact that all the most precious
stones except the diamond, compounds of the
common element aluminium. The diamond stands by
itself In not being compound. but pure element
(carbon) In the form OF transparent crystal. The
hardest of all things is also the most bril-
liant depending for It's beauty not upon accidental
colors derived extraneous and chemical
blending. but solely upon its marvellous power
OF splitting up and dispensing the light waves and
displaying their gorgeous spectral coors II Is nat
urai spectroscope.
The great aluminium gems. on the other hand. owe
their beauty mainly inherent colors, that each
Of them is monochromatc. The curious fact Just
ferred to- vg that except the diamond. the finest
Jewel stones based upon aluminium. comes our
clearly IN the following list:
Diarnond-Pure crystalized carbon.
Sapphire and Ruby--oxide OF aluminium, eolored By
traces OF metallic exidcs.
Emeraids and Beryis-sncate of aluminium and
glucinum.
chrysoberyi-compound Of aluminium and gfucinum.
Topaz--Compiicated silcate OF aluminium
oarnet-silicate of aluminium.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS OF aluminium
All OF these gems with the single exception named
their colors to Impurities. and not OF them
is unmlxed element except the diamond.
Yet the spiendor OF the single color exhibited by
fine emerald, sapphire. topaz ruby ia often ef
fecve that the market price any Of these stones
may. In particular cases. exceed that OF diamonds
These softer also lend themselves gent
carver's art Emerald has sometimes been out into
various forms. Nero is said to have had emerald
lens which he In a ring. There is at Florence
italy, miniature portrait OF Ludovico sforza carved
out of o ruby.