| The emerald is probably the most rare of all | | | | the value of the stone. In fact a perfect emerald |
| precious stones and is considered by some to be | | | | is almost never found, and this circumstance has |
| even more valuable than the diamond. Compared | | | | passed into an Eastern simile which runs, "As |
| with other precious stones the emerald in its | | | | scarce as a perfect emerald," this being a symbol |
| occurrence in nature is unique, for it is found in | | | | for the acme of rarity. The emerald is light in |
| the rock in which it was formed. Unlike diamonds, | | | | weight and an emerald of a given size will be |
| sapphires and rubies, it never occurs in gem | | | | about a third larger than a diamond and forty-five |
| gravels. The earliest known locality where | | | | per cent larger than a sapphire of equal weight. |
| emeralds were found was in Upper Egypt near | | | | The distinctive color of the emerald is probably |
| the coast of the Red Sea. The best stones, | | | | due to a trace of chromium in its composition. |
| however, are found in Columbia, South America. | | | | Fine emeralds are generally cut cushion shape with |
| Fine specimens have also been found in the United | | | | step cutting, and in the East are often cut |
| States in North Carolina. | | | | cabochon. Fine emeralds have advanced very |
| While the usual shade of color seen in emeralds is | | | | rapidly during the last few years, both on account |
| alluded to as emerald green, there are other | | | | of the growing demand of fashion for the gems |
| shades, such as grass green, sea green and green | | | | and the scarcity of really fine specimens. |
| slightly tinged with yellow. The shades most highly | | | | Many curious legends of gigantic emeralds have |
| valued are those of an intense fresh green | | | | been handed down to us, principally culled from |
| sometimes compared with that seen in a | | | | the narratives of early travelers, who thought |
| meadow in spring. | | | | every transparent green stone they saw to be |
| Beryl is a mineral known to gem lovers under | | | | an emerald. |
| several different names, the most valued of | | | | The ancients valued the emerald highly, not alone |
| which is the Emerald. The mineral beryl composing | | | | for its beauty, but for its supposed occult |
| the various gems is practically the same in | | | | properties and its marvelous power of healing all |
| composition, hardness, and other properties, and | | | | diseases of the eye--they also believed that if the |
| the gems may be differentiated only by their | | | | eyes of a serpent met the gleam of the emerald, |
| color. In composition beryl is a silicate of aluminum | | | | it immediately became blind. Moore alludes to this |
| and glucinum. On the scale of hardness beryl is | | | | superstition in the lines: |
| graded 7 ½ to 8, and is thus much softer | | | | Blinded like serpents when they gaze |
| than the diamond, ruby, or sapphire. It is owing to | | | | Upon the emerald's virgin blaze. |
| this fact that the emerald scratches easily and | | | | The Emperor Nero, who was shortsighted, had an |
| that care must be taken that when worn it is not | | | | eye-glass formed of an emerald, through which |
| subject to chafing by diamonds or other harder | | | | he gazed and gloated over the cruel sports of the |
| gems. | | | | arena. |
| Beryl as a mineral is of quite common occurrence, | | | | Many interesting stories are told of the first |
| and the crystals of the mineral in its cruder form | | | | emeralds taken by the early conquerors of Peru |
| often grow to enormous size. There is one such | | | | to Spain, and a certain Joseph D' Acosta is said to |
| single crystal preserved in the Boston Museum of | | | | have returned to Spain in 1587 with two chests |
| Natural History, which is three and one half feet | | | | of emeralds, each of which weighed over one |
| long and three feet wide and weighs several tons. | | | | hundred pounds. The truth of this story may be |
| Beryl in this common form occurs in many | | | | questioned, but it is a fact that the stones were |
| localities, but the mineral in its rarer form of | | | | highly prized and much used by the Incas and |
| emerald is comparatively of very rare occurrence. | | | | Aztecs in the extraordinary civilization which once |
| The emerald or green beryl, as it should be | | | | existed in Peru. The emerald was highly prized by |
| scientifically known, has long been the most highly | | | | the ancients and by gem lovers of the middle |
| prized of the green gems. In brilliancy it exceeds | | | | ages, and this accounts for many interesting |
| all other green gems excepting only the very rare | | | | legends and superstitions relating to the gem. |
| green sapphire. The most valuable specimens | | | | As for today, the emerald is still very highly |
| exhibit a vivid grass-green shade, and it is to this | | | | valued as one of the most precious stones. The |
| color that they owe their great value. Other | | | | emerald is May's birthstone and is a favorite stone |
| considerations, such as freedom from | | | | for fine jewelry craftsmen throughout the world. |
| imperfections, are quite secondary in determining | | | | |