Transcriber’s Notes:
Underscores “_” before and after a word or phrase indicate _italics_
in the original text.
Small capitals have been converted to SOLID capitals.
Illustrations have been moved so they do not break up paragraphs.
Old or antiquated spellings have been preserved.
Typographical errors have been silently corrected but other variations
in spelling and punctuation remain unaltered.
Added “Spodumene 96” to TOC, as it was missing.
A HAND-BOOK OF
PRECIOUS STONES
BY
M. D. ROTHSCHILD
NEW YORK & LONDON
G. P. PUTNAM’S SONS
_The Knickerbocker Press_
1890
COPYRIGHT BY
M. D. ROTHSCHILD
1889
_The Knickerbocker Press, New York_
Electrotyped and Printed by
G. P. Putnam’s Sons
CONTENTS.
PAGE
What are Precious Stones? 7
Physical Characters—
Crystallization 10
Cleavage 10
Fracture 11
Optical Properties—
Refraction 12
Polarization of Light 13
Pleiochroism 14
Colors 15
Lustre 17
Streak 18
Hardness 19
Specific Gravity 21
Weight 27
Fusibility 28
Magnetism 30
Transparency 30
Phosphorescence 31
Electricity 31
Cutting and Polishing 32
Diamond 35
Corundum 39
The Ruby 40
Sapphire 43
Fancy Sapphires 44
Star Sapphires 45
Spinel 46
Beryl 50
Emerald 51
Beryl 53
Chrysoberyl 54
Cymophane 56
Alexandrite 56
Zircon 58
Turquois 60
Tourmaline 64
Opal 69
Pearl 71
Chrysolite 78
Garnet 80
Topaz 84
Apatite 87
Felspar 88
Moonstone 89
Sunstone (Avanturine Felspar) 90
Amazon Stone (Green Felspar) 91
Labradorite 91
Cyanite 93
Lapis Lazuli 94
Hiddenite 95
Spodumene 96
Dichroite 97
Idocrase 98
Euclase 99
Sphene 100
Phenacite 101
Epidote 101
Axinite 102
Diopside 103
Fluor Spar 104
Hypersthene 105
Quartz 106
Crystallized Quartz 109
Amethyst 110
Yellow Quartz 111
Cairngorm, etc 111
Rose Quartz 113
Avanturine 114
Cat’s-Eye 114
Crocidolite 115
Heliotrope 116
Chrysoprase 117
Prase 117
Plasma 118
Chalcedony 118
Agates 119
Onyx or Agate Onyx 120
Carnelian 122
Jasper 123
False Lapis 124
Hematite 124
Obsidian 125
Malachite 126
Jet 128
Amber 128
Coral 130