Page:A treatise on diamonds and precious stones including their history Natural and commercial.djvu/135

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been validated.
CHRYSOBERYL.
99

In that country it is esteemed the most valuable of all colored stones; and although but recently introduced into Europe, it is rapidly rising in public estimation.

The high lustreand exquisite polish which it is capable of receiving, enables it to sustain a competition with the yellow diamond; and so great is its brilliancy by candle-light, that while the transcendant splendor of the diamond destroys the effect of other stones, this is able to support its presence with unimpaired beauty.

This gem is very difficult to be cut, and few lapidaries are capable of doing justice to it. The Chrysolite is the only colored stone that shows to the greatest advantage when formed into brilliant; but thin stones must be cut in steps.