Its name appears to be very similar in most languages, whether Oriental or European; in Arabic it is called Zamarut; in Chaldean, Ismaragdon; in Greek, Smaragdos; in Latin, Smaragdus; in Spanish, Esmeralda; in French, Emeraude; in Italian, Smeraldo. The Persians call it Pachee; the Greeks sometimes called it Prasinus, on
account of its colour resembling the greenness of leeks. The origin of
the name is said to be a Sanskrit word signifying green.
The
emerald is so rarely found perfect, that the saying, "an emerald
without a flaw," has passed into a proverb. It is the stone which ranks
next in value to the ruby, and on account of the pleasing effect it
has, both by day and candle-light, is a very favourite gem. Latterly it
has increased enormously in value. The emeralds which now come into the
market seem to be far inferior to those found in former times. The
value, when of a deep rich grass-green, clear, and free from flaws, is
from £10 to £40 the carat; those of lighter shade are worth much less, the price ranging from 55. to £15 the
carat; but experience is the only guide which can enable any one to
form a correct estimate of the actual worth of any but the very finest
quality. The emerald is cut on a copper wheel with emery, and polished
on a tin one with rottenstone; it is most commonly trap cut, and, when
cut like a brilliant, with rounded tables, it is generally to disguise
flaws, which would otherwise be apparent. In India, advantage is taken
of the facility with which the emerald can be cloven at right
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