Page:A treatise on diamonds and precious stones including their history Natural and commercial.djvu/142

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AQUAMARINE.

THE AQUAMARINE

Is, as its name implies, a stone of a sea green color, of different shades; sometimes it is greenish yellow, bluish green, and greenish blue. In hardnes it is inferior to the blue topaz, which some varieties resemble, but they may be distinguished by not possessing electricity. The finest stones are from Ceylon and Brazil.

This substance was formerly, and indeed only a few years ago, of considerable value, but it has been found in such abundance in Brazil, Siberia, and latterly in India, from whence vast quantities have been imported, as scarcely to allow it to retain its former rank.

Those only which are of a good color and sufficient depth are manufactured; they have