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SAPPHIRES
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gems possess a velvety luster, and a vivid color of the true cornflower shade, without the slightest trace of green or black.
Another important locality for sapphires is Burmah. These Burmah or oriental sapphires
have a much darker shade of blue. While they bear the name Burmah, most
of the stones come from the adjacent country of Siam. The most
important mine is the Bo Pie Rim mine, in Rattambang.
Ceylon produces sapphires of very light shades, ranging from delicate pale gray blue to purplish blue.
The sapphires found in Australia are generally poor in color, and although fine gems occur they are exceedingly rare.
In
our own country fine sapphires have been found in Yogo Gulch, Montana.
These stones have a fine electric blue tint, and the larger sizes which
are occasionally found are very valuable, approaching in price the
oriental.
Most of the Montana sapphires which
are found near Helena are small, — one carat and less, — but are of a
very uniform color and are especially suited to be cut into round
stones. The Montana sapphires have been known since 1865, but the mines
were first systematically worked in 1891. Since that time they have
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