THE DIAMOND AND OTPIER PRECIOUS STONES. 351 



In the enuiueratiou that follows we shall place the precious stones in 

 the order of their actual value. This order varies little in difierent parts 

 of the w^orld. When an extraordinary demand, however, occurs, that 

 causes a rise in pric^e of any particular gem, there flows into the 

 market such an overplus of that gem, that a fall in value is at once 

 eftected. This is the case at present with the beautiful Hungarian opal, 

 which in the last ten years has become abundant, the mines producing 

 it being more actively worked on account of the high price of these 

 stones, w'hich for a while has surpassed that of the sapphire. The ori- 

 ental ruhy is, for its price as well as its beauty, the first in rank among 

 colored stones. In order to appreciate its color in its finest quality we 

 must compare it with the blood as it spirts from an arterj', or the red 

 ray in the solar spectrum. It is the pure red on the painter's palette, 

 without any admixture on the one side of orange, or on the other of violet. 

 Many of the stained-glass windows in our ancient churches, when trav- 

 ersed by the rays of light, give this color in its brilliance. The ruby is 

 excessively hard, and, after the sapphire, which surpasses it a little in 

 this respect, is the first of stones, always excepting the diamond, to 

 which there is nothing at all comparable. According to a perfectly just 

 remark of M. Charles Achard, more competent than any one in France 

 to give an opinion touching the trade in colored stones, there is a great 

 difference between these and the diamoud, which, from the minutest 

 specimens to those of princely or sovereign size, have a fixed price pro- 

 portioned to their weight, as is the case with gold aud silver. As for 

 rubies and other geius, the very small specimens have hardly any value, 

 and it is only when of some weight that they command high prices. 

 Rubies are, therefore, much used for watch-pivots, and, from their 

 abundance, are of little value ; but for a ruby of o carats, double the price 

 of a diamond of the same v/eight will be i)aid. If the ruby weighs 10 

 carats, triple the value of a diamond of the same weight may be asked 

 for it; which price would be about 20,000 to 25,000 francs. All the 

 w'orld admits that a perfect ruby is the rai-est of all the productions of 

 nature. Its tint shows to the same advantage by day as by lamp light ; 

 but to render the color more resplendent it should be placed in the midst 

 of the red rays of the si)ectrum in such a manner that the rest of the 

 colors do not fall very near it. The possessors of choice collections of 

 stones can repeat this interesting experiment with various stones, placing 

 each in that color of the si^ectrum which is analogous to that of the 

 stone itself. It is a severe test for the purity of the tint ; for if ])ure and 

 unmixed, the stone will api^ear completely black in every other light but 

 its own. Milky and turbid stones cannot bear this test. 



When Pegu was annexed to the British East India Possessions, it was 

 thought that that country, so rich in rubies, would send many of these 

 stones, so jealously guarded by the Indian princes, into the European 

 market. Such has not been the case. It is not yet proven, however, 

 that the ruby mines are still worked ; and this part of Asia is the least 



