GEMSTONES FOR THE COLLECTOR
A number of mineral species have produced cut gemstones that fulfill every necessary requirement of beauty, durability, and rarity, but their popularity and commercial success have been sharply limited because of insufficient supply. In some cases of even adequate supply such gemstones do not compete with other, more plentiful kinds that exhibit the same characteristics. The scarcity of these minerals does not diminish their standing as potential gem material—it merely points up the effect of accidental natural distribution of these species.
A magnificent set of 16 matched sphenes from Switzerland, gift of Nina Lea, almost encircles a 110-carat sinhalite (a rare magnesium borate) and a 22-carat kornerupine, both from Ceylon. The man’s gold ring indicates the sizes of these unusual stones.
Among the rarer minerals that produce good gemstones are cordierite, benitoite, euclase, phenakite, beryllonite, willemite, wernerite, danburite, datolite, axinite, brazilianite, andalusite, sillimanite, kyanite, kornerupine, enstatite, diopside, epidote, sphene, sinhalite, and orthoclase. Willemite, a rare zinc silicate found in only a few localities, is typical of these rarer minerals. The famous zinc mines at Franklin, N. J., produced a few large gemmy crystals of willemite, and some fine gemstones were cut from some of these. Willemite’s borderline hardness of 5 to 5½ and its extreme rarity effectively eliminate it from the gem market, but the collector who is able to obtain a good stone of this material is indeed fortunate.
Exotic gems that represent collectors’ items lie beside a 3¼-inch-long box of Russian lapis lazuli. The stones are (left row, from top) a 28-carat andalusite from Brazil, gift of Fred C. Kennedy, a 10-carat cordierite from Ceylon, a 29-carat apatite from Burma, and (right row) a 42-carat brazilianite from Brazil, a 13-carat euclase from Brazil, a 29-carat wernerite from Brazil, and a 61-carat orthoclase from Madagascar.
Some mineral species, although beautiful when cut, and prized by collectors, are entirely too soft, are too easily cleaved, or have some other physical weakness that renders them useless as commercial gemstones. Sphalerite, apatite, fluorite, calcite, cerussite, zincite, and hematite are included in this group. Sphalerite is typical; it produces brilliant and colorful gemstones that hold their own among other stones of great beauty. Unfortunately, this zinc sulfide, with a hardness of 3½ to 4, is so soft and cleaves so readily that it is very difficult to cut properly, and it cannot be used in jewelry.
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SOME NOTABLE GEMS IN THE COLLECTION
The Smithsonian’s collection of gems continues to grow and improve rapidly, and it changes character constantly as important new gemstones are added and less important ones are retired. Approximately one-third of the gems in the collection in 1965 are itemized in the following list. Included are some of the largest gems of each kind, some of the more interesting stones, and some small gems notable for the places from which they came. Though listed by species and size, some of the larger stones are not included, and neither are most cabochons, rough opal, beads, carvings, and spheres. The descriptions listed include, in order, weight in carats; color; popular name or other description, if any; place of origin; and U. S. National Museum catalog number and name of donor. Gems in the Lea and Roebling collections usually are indicated by the letters “L” and “R.”
DIAMOND 127, colorless (The Portuguese), Brazil (3398) 44.5, blue (The Hope), India (3551, Winston) 18.3, yellow (The Shephard), South Africa (3406) 2.9, pink, Tanzania (3772, De Young) CORUNDUM: Ruby 50, red-violet (a star), Ceylon (173, L) 34, red (a star), Ceylon (1922, L) CORUNDUM: Sapphire 330, blue (Star of Asia), Burma (3688) 316, blue (Star of Artaban), Ceylon (2231, Ingram) 93, yellow, Burma (3549) 52, yellow, Burma (3419) 40, blue (a star), Ceylon (174, L) 35, yellow-brown, Ceylon (2147, L) 26, gray (a star), Ceylon (3902) 26, colorless, Ceylon (2016, L) 25, blue (4-starred), Ceylon (3923, Krandall) 22, yellow-orange, Ceylon (3875, L) 16, colorless, Ceylon (3581, L) BERYL: Emerald 157, green, India (3601) 117, green, Colombia (4158, Erickson) 27, green, Colombia (3922) 17, green (3920, MacVeagh) 7, green, North Carolina (3075, L) 4.6, green (a cat’s-eye), Colombia (2256, R) BERYL: Aquamarine 1000, green, Brazil (3889, Evyan) 264, blue, Russia (3606, Neal) 187, blue, Brazil (3683) 126, blue, Brazil (4159, Erickson) 71, pale blue, Ceylon (3172, L) 66, pale blue-green, Maine (2148, L) 15, blue-green, Idaho (2249, Montgomery) 14, blue, Connecticut (779) 10, blue, North Carolina (776, L) BERYL: Morganite 236, pink, Brazil (3780, Ix) 122, pale pink, California (1988, R) 80, pale pink, Brazil (4190, R) 64, pink, Brazil (3721, R) 56, pink, Madagascar (2223, R) 51, pink, Brazil (3623) BERYL: Beryl 2054, green-gold, Brazil (3725, R) 1363, green, Brazil (3916) 914, green, Brazil (3919) 578, green, Brazil (3227, R) 133, yellow, Madagascar (1977, L) 114, yellow-green, Brazil (2245, R) 98, pale green, Brazil (3949, Cutter) 62, colorless (goshenite), Brazil (3366) 46, gold, Madagascar (2121, L) 44, gold (a cat’s-eye), Madagascar (3248) 40, pale green, Connecticut (1037, L) 40, yellow-green, North Carolina (2260, Roebling) 20, brown (a star), Brazil (3355, L) TOPAZ 7725, yellow, Brazil (3976) 3273, blue, Brazil (3633) 1469, yellow-green, Brazil (3891) 685, pale blue, Brazil (3003) 398, pale blue, Russia (3400, R) 235, colorless, Colorado (3309, L) 187, colorless, Brazil (3612, Cutter) 171, champagne, Madagascar (3890) 155, blue, Russia (262, L) 146, pale blue, Texas (3625, L) 129, sherry, Brazil (3550) 94, orange, Brazil (3401, R) 54, blue, Brazil (2219, L) 51, colorless, Japan (268) 44, blue, Maine (2047, L) 41, orange, Brazil (2174, L) 34, gold, Brazil (2046, L) 34, deep pink, Brazil (2232, L) 24, pale blue, New Hampshire (3307, L) 18, rose pink, Brazil (3402, R) 17, blue, California (3679, Ware) 15, sherry, Colorado (318, L) TOURMALINE: Rubellite 111, pink, Manchuria (3173, R) 62, pink, Brazil (3411, R) 51, magenta, Brazil (4160, Erickson) 35, pink, Brazil (2254, R) 34, pink, Brazil (3148, R) 30, pink, Madagascar (3409, R) 18, pink (a cat’s-eye), California (3786, Lea) 18, pink, Maine (1109, L) 15, pink, California (3412, R) TOURMALINE: Tourmaline 173, champagne, Mozambique (3590, R) 125, champagne, Mozambique (3576, R) 123, green, Mozambique (3575, R) 110, green, Brazil (4197) 104, rose, Mozambique (3256, L) 76, dark green (a cat’s-eye), Brazil (3599, L) 60, blue-green, Brazil (3410, R) 58, green, Maine, (1108, L) 53, green (a cat’s-eye), Brazil (3119, L) 48, red and green, California (3363) 42, yellow, Brazil (2251, R) 42, brown, Ceylon (3245, L) 40, red-brown, Brazil (2097, R) 40, green, Madagascar (4081, R) 34, red-brown, Brazil (2253, L) 31, rose-brown, Brazil (3416, R) 26, blue (indicolite), Brazil (3298, R) 20, blue-green, Madagascar (2032, L) 18, yellow-green, Elba (3368, R) 18, green, South Africa (2095, L) 15, yellow, Brazil (3415, R) SPINEL 46, pale purple, Ceylon (2180, L) 36, indigo, Burma (3685) 34, red, Burma (3354, L) 30, pink-violet, Ceylon (2165, L) 30, violet, Burma (3344, L) 26, blue-gray, Burma (3593, L) 22, blue-violet, Ceylon (2247, R) 22, rose-brown, Ceylon (2166, L) ZIRCON 118, brown, Ceylon (2236, R) 106, brown, Thailand (3568) 103, blue, Indochina (2222, R) 98, yellow-brown, Ceylon (2237, R) 76, red-brown, Burma (3068, L) 64, brown, Indochina (3397, R) 48, colorless, Ceylon (3554, L) 29, blue, Indochina (3394, R) 23, green, Ceylon (2233, R) 21, tan, Australia (1887, L) SPODUMENE: Kunzite 830, deep violet, Brazil (3940) 336, deep violet, Brazil (3942, Nelson) 297, deep violet, Brazil (3941, Nelson) 177, violet, California (3797, American Gem Society) 25, pale violet, Madagascar (1979, L) SPODUMENE: Spodumene 327, yellow, Brazil (3396, R) 256, yellow, Brazil (3429, R) 71, yellow, Madagascar (3698, L) 69, yellow-green, Brazil (3885, R) PERIDOT 310, olive green, Egypt (3398, R) 287, olive green, Burma (3705) 46, olive green, Egypt (1978, L) 23, olive green, Arizona (3620, L) GARNET: Almandine 175, red (a star), Idaho (3670) 67, red-brown (a star), Idaho (3560, L) 41, red-brown, Madagascar (2137, L) 26, red-brown, Idaho (3423, L) GARNET: Demantoid 10.4 green, Russia (2175) GARNET: Grossular 64, orange-brown, Ceylon (493, L) GARNET: Rhodolite 25, rose-violet, Tanzania (4080, L) 6.4, violet, North Carolina (460, L) GARNET: Spessartine 109, red, Brazil (4203) 40, orange, Virginia (147, L) 26, orange, Virginia (3597, L) QUARTZ: Amethyst 1362, purple, Brazil (3879) 183, purple, Brazil (1272, L) 62, purple, Brazil (3162, Capps) 61, purple, Brazil (3914, Cutter) 56, purple, Brazil (3165, Capps) 54, purple, Pennsylvania (1299, L) 45, pale purple, North Carolina (1298, Lea) 36, purple, Pennsylvania (1283, L) 33, pale purple, North Carolina (1288, Lea) 27, purple, Arizona (3291, R) 23, purple, Maine (1271, L) 19, purple, Virginia (1301, L) QUARTZ: Citrine 1180, golden brown, Brazil (1870, L) 783, light golden brown, Brazil (3640) 278, golden brown, Brazil (3732, Cutter) 265, light golden brown, Brazil (2041, Roebling) 218, golden brown, Brazil (4199, Cutter) 169, golden brown, Australia (1373, L) 143, yellow, Colorado (456, L) 120, golden brown, Brazil (2116, L) 115, golden brown, Brazil (3932) 91, yellow, Brazil (3615, Cutter) 55, light golden brown, Maine (2178, L) 48, yellow, Brazil (3915, Cutter) 43, yellow, Brazil (3719, Cutter) QUARTZ: Rock Crystal 7000, colorless, Brazil (3957, R) 625, colorless (a star), New Hampshire (3125, Burroughs) 350, colorless, North Carolina (1398, L) QUARTZ: Rose Quartz 375, pink, Brazil (3592, L) 84, pink, Brazil (3421) 49, pink, Brazil (3420, R) QUARTZ: Smoky Quartz 4500, pale smoky, California (3738, L) 1695 smoky, Brazil (3697, L) 785, pale smoky, Colorado (1335, L) 284, pale smoky, North Carolina (1340, Lea) 163, pale smoky, Colorado (1336, L) 145, smoky, Scotland (3079, R) CHRYSOBERYL: Alexandrite 66, green to red, Ceylon (2042, L) 17, green to red, Ceylon (3407, R) 11, green to red, Ceylon (2200, Walcott) CHRYSOBERYL: Chrysoberyl 172, gray-green (a cat’s-eye), Ceylon (3924) 121, green (The Maharani, a cat’s-eye), Ceylon (3642) 46, green-yellow, Brazil (1923, L) 32, brown, Ceylon (2151, L) OPAL 155, white with fire, Australia (3285, Roebling) 83, white with fire, Australia (3300, R) 58, black with fire, Australia (3960, R) 56, colorless with fire, Mexico (2240, R) 54, black with fire, Australia (3962) 44, black with fire, Australia (3284, R) 39, pale yellow-orange with fire, Brazil (3637) 38, black with fire, Australia (3961) 30, black with fire, Australia (3405, R) 24, black with fire, Australia (1897, L) 22, orange with fire, Mexico (2106, L) 22, orange with fire, Mexico (2028, L) 21, yellow with fire, Mexico (2111, L) 15, orange with fire, Mexico (2096, L) 11, orange with fire, Mexico (3886, Lewis) OTHER, LESS-KNOWN SPECIES Albite: 43, white (a cat’s-eye), Burma (3311, L) Amblygonite: 63, yellow, Brazil (4079, Lea) 20, yellow, Burma (3562, R) Andalusite: 28, brown, Brazil (3619, Kennedy) 14, green-brown, Brazil (3364, L) Apatite: 29, yellow-green, Burma (3247, Lea) 29, yellow, Mexico (3594, L) 15, colorless, Burma (3720, R) 9, yellow-green, Canada (3122, R) 8.8, pale blue, Ceylon (3639) 5.4, green, Madagascar (3676, Durand) Axinite: 9.4, brown, Mexico (3787, R) 9, brown, Mexico (3773, L) Barite: 61, colorless, England (3349) Benitoite: 7.6, blue, California (3387, R) Beryllonite: 5, colorless, Maine (423) Brazilianite: 42, yellow, Brazil (3083, L) Calcite: 46, gold-brown, Mexico (3305) Cassiterite: 10, yellow-brown, Bolivia (3250) Cobaltocalcite: 3.3, 3.9, pink, Spain (3724, L) Cordierite: 16, blue, Ceylon (3882) 10, indigo, Ceylon (3580, L) 9.4, blue, Ceylon (3881) Danburite: 18, yellow, Burma (3345, L) 7.9, colorless, Japan (3801, L) Datolite: 5.4, colorless, Massachusetts (3876, Boucot) 5, colorless, Massachusetts (3283, Sinkankas) Diopside: 133, black (a star), India (3977) 24, black (a cat’s-eye), India (3956, Lea) 14, black (a cat’s-eye), India (3880) 11, green, Madagascar (2264, R) 6.8, yellow, Italy (3634) 4.6, yellow, Burma (3346, L) 2.2, pale green, New York (572, L) 1.6, green (chrome diopside), Finland (3693) Enstatite: 11, brown, Ceylon (3638) 8.1, brown, Ceylon (2294, R) Epidote: 3.9, brown, Austria (579) Euclase: 13, green, Brazil (3214, R) 9, yellow, Brazil (3215, R) 8.9, yellow, Brazil (2181, L) 3.7, blue-green, Brazil (3388, R) Fluorite: 354, pale yellow, Illinois (3877) 125, green, New Hampshire (3294) 117, green, Africa (2153) 63, yellow, Illinois (3595, L) 33, colorless, Illinois (3626) 8.5, pink, Switzerland (3730, R) Friedelite: 12, red-brown, New Jersey (3013, D’Ascenzo) Gadolinite: 8.6, black, Texas (587, L) Idocrase: 3.5, brown, Italy (4179, R) Kyanite: 11, blue, Brazil (3557, L) 9.1, green, Brazil (3558, L) 3.7, blue, North Carolina (364, Bowman) Kornerupine: 22, brown, Ceylon (3706, Lea) 11, brown, Madagascar (3567, L) 7.6, green, Madagascar (3782) Labradorite: 11, pale yellow, Utah (3121) Microlite: 3.7, brown, Virginia (3588, Lea) Oligoclase: 6, colorless, North Carolina (404, L) Orthoclase: 250, yellow, Madagascar (3878) 105, pale green (a cat’s-eye), Ceylon (3883) 61, yellow, Madagascar (1838, L) 26, gray (a cat’s-eye), Ceylon (3579, Lea) 23, white (a star), Ceylon (3578, L) Petalite: 11, colorless, South-West Africa (3096) Phenakite: 22, colorless, Russia (3739) 10, colorless, Brazil (2263, R) Phosphophyllite: 5, green, Bolivia (3950, Roebling) Pollucite: 9, colorless, Maine (2056, L) 7, colorless, Connecticut (3802, R) Proustite: 9.9, red, Germany (4082, L) Rhodizite: 0.5, colorless, Madagascar (3219, Canfield) Rhodochrosite: 9.5, pink, South Africa (4189, L) Samarskite: 6.6, black, North Carolina (588, L) Scheelite: 37, colorless, California (3701, L) 12, gold, Mexico (3803, R) Scorodite: 2.6, purple, South-West Africa (3793) Sillimanite: 5.9, black (a cat’s-eye), South Carolina (3600, L) Sinhalite: 110, brown, Ceylon (3587) 44, brown, Ceylon (3548, L) Sphalerite: 73, yellow-brown, Utah (3556) 69, yellow-brown, Utah (3362) 60, yellow-green, New Jersey (3874, Roebling) 48, yellow, Mexico (2167, L) 46, yellow, Spain (3707, L) Sphene: 0.8-9.3, sixteen stones, gold, Switzerland (2043, Nina Lea) 8.5, brown, New York (550) 5.6, yellow-brown, Mexico (3290) 5.2, yellow-brown, Mexico (3292) Staurolite: 3, dark red-brown, Brazil (3795) Tektite: 23, brown, Czechoslovakia (681, L) Wernerite: 288, colorless, Burma (3783) 30, colorless (a cat’s-eye), Burma (3301, L) 29, pale yellow, Brazil (2098, L) 17, pink (a cat’s-eye), Ceylon (3238, Roebling) 12, pink, Burma (3674, L) Willemite: 12, orange-yellow, New Jersey (1898, L) 11, orange-yellow, New Jersey (4187, Lea) Zincite: 20, red, New Jersey (3386, R)
