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The Opal.
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entirely
on the brilliancy and play of its colours, and any attempt at pricing
it would be an idle task; for large fine gems of extraordinary beauty
as much as £ 1000 has been paid; fine ring or brooch stones bring from £ 40 to £ 100, and smaller ones from 5s. to £.10 per piece; they are very rarely sold per carat.
The
opal is cut on a leaden wheel with emery, and polished on a wooden one
with tripoli and water. Great care must be taken not to heat the stone
too much by friction, and, from its fragility, very delicate handling
will be requisite.
The
opal was known to the most ancient authors, and was esteemed beyond any
other precious stone. Pliny describes it as uniting the colours of the
ruby, the amethyst, the topaz, and the emerald, in the most
marvellous mixture, and says that its fire is like the flame of
burning sulphur. He relates that a Roman senator, Nonnius, was outlawed
and sent into exile by Marcus Antonius, because he refused to give up
an opal. The stone—valued at 20,000 sesterces, about £ 170,000—
was of the size of a filbert, and set in a ring, but rather than part
with it Nonnius submitted to exile, carrying his stone with him.
Amongst
the French crown jewels are two wonderful opals; one is set in the
clasp of the imperial cloak. The finest known is in the museum at
Vienna; itwas found at Czernowitza,—where mines have been worked since a.d. 1400,—and is of immense size and extraordinary beauty. It is said that £ 50,000 has been refused for it.
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