170 



to i)i-o<lufe fusion, got tiny ci-ystals of ruby wheu the melL was slowly 

 coolc'l. These crystals, like those of nature, were in the hexagonal sys- 

 tem, as shown hy their external foi-ni. St. Clair de Ville and Carnn ]iro- 

 (Uu-ed rubies by fusion of alumina mixed with a little chromium oxide 

 and. on one occasidii Iliey p)t both rubies and sapplures in the same 

 cruciiile. These were very minute and liad the usual crystal form of the 

 natural stones. Fremy, by means of a high temperaturo continued for 

 eight days, got rubies of the weight of one-third karat eacli. Tlicse also 

 were regular crystals. No success was had liy any of these earlier work- 

 ers in obtaining rubies of commercial size. 



About ISSo there began to come on the market, from Geneva. Switzer- 

 land, it is now said, some rubies which at first were sold as natural stones, 

 but which, it developed later, were made l»y fusing together small natural 

 rubies by means of the oxyhydrogen blowjupe. These rubies were gener- 

 ally bubbl.v, and the bubldes. uidike tliosc in natui'al rubies, were spluT- 

 ical. There were also other signs by means of which the artificial char- 

 acter of these so-called "reconstructed" i-ubies might be detected. They 

 were generally too low in specific gravity, jiriilialdy owing to their bulil)ly 

 character, and the color was a bit unnatural to the eye of an exi>ert. They 

 w<'re, however, crystallized alumina. I have not had the opi>ortunity of 

 exanniung any of the drojis thus jirodnced while in the uncut condition, 

 so that 1 am unable to si)eak in i-egard to their crystal structure. The 

 cut stones are feebly double refracting and show dichroism like the natural 

 rubies. 



It was not long befon! tlie use of small natural rubies was dist'on- 

 tinued and pure alunnna nnxcd willi a little cln'onnum oxide was substi- 

 fuled. It was in I'.iol that \'<'rntMiil ]Mili!islicd bis method of pi-odnciiig 

 true synthetic ruliies by healiiiLC tlic alioxc mixtin-e in Ilie llame of the 

 oxyhydrogen blowiiipe. The method employed by liim in inliMducing the 

 ])o\vd' red iii.-iterial was exceedingly in:j;enious. .V receptacle with a sieve 

 bottom was constantly t.ipl'i'd Ity ,i nieclianical t.-ijiper and tlie dust fell 

 into tliesti-e.'im of oxygen and jiassed with it tln-ouuh tiie llanie, which was 

 dii'ect(d \-ejt i( :ili.\' downward uiion a support below. Vpon lliis supjiorf 

 the boule grew, lii'sl the slender stem. then, with jiroper manipul.il ion of 

 tb" tianie the wide)- ;ind wide!' dome, until, in some cases, the boule 

 weighed ov(>i- oni' bnndred karats. The i ry^t.il cliaractci' of these bottles 

 and of the blue and piiik .•mil white ;ind yellow oties which l.-tter came to 

 be m.-ide. forms the pfini'ip.-il snlijecl of this pnper. 



