| The mineral to which the term " precious | | | | again neglected for other gems, causing |
| stone" is applied, must be adaptable for | | | | a sensible difference in the value of |
| jewelry or ornamental purposes and must | | | | these stones. |
| possess beauty, hardness, and rarity. | | | | It has been a mooted question as to the |
| The beauty of a precious stone or gem | | | | proper dividing line between stones that |
| consists of its color or colorlessness, | | | | deserve the title "precious," and those, |
| brilliancy or softness of luster, and | | | | which should be placed in a so-called |
| transparency. To take a high and lasting | | | | semi-precious or lower category. To draw |
| polish, a mineral must be hard, -and | | | | such a line is hardly possible, as |
| many stones that would otherwise be | | | | neither hardness, rareness, nor value |
| highly valued are low in the estimate of | | | | would be a positive test--some of the |
| worth because they do not possess of | | | | hard stones, like zircon and almandines |
| sufficient hardness to make them endure | | | | being less valuable than softer opal, |
| the wear and friction to which a | | | | while the diamond, one of the most |
| precious stone is subjected when used in | | | | plentiful of precious stones, is at the |
| the form of jewelry. The rareness of | | | | same time, one of the most valuable. |
| precious stones has a decided effect in | | | | Neither can price be taken as a complete |
| determining their values. For instance, | | | | test, because fashion makes a turquoise, |
| the crocidolite, commercially known as | | | | an opal, or an emerald much more |
| tiger-eye, was sold by the carat some | | | | valuable at one time than at another, |
| years ago, and was largely used in the | | | | All precious minerals used for |
| making of fine jewelry. Today, this | | | | ornamental purposes, from the diamond to |
| material is so plentiful that it is no | | | | quartz, or chalcedony, may properly be |
| longer classed among the higher gems, | | | | termed precious stones. |
| but serves for cameos and intaglios like | | | | The Final Word On Precious Stones |
| chalcedony and onyx. | | | | The most precious stones are the |
| The changes of fashion have much to do | | | | diamonds, emeralds, rubies and |
| with determining the market value of | | | | sapphires. The pearl is oftentimes |
| precious stones. Amethysts, topazes, | | | | classed with precious stones. Although |
| cat's-eyes, aquamarines, alexandrites, | | | | strictly speaking while it is not a |
| and even emeralds and opals have been | | | | stone it holds an esteemed place in |
| eagerly sought for at times and then | | | | jewelry. |