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]
Table of Hardness and Specific Gravity[132]
Index[135]