42 Precious Stones as Objects of Commerce.
ultimately
finds its way to the English market. It is calculated roughly, that the
value of Precious Stones found in the island amounts to over £20,000 yearly.
More
than a hundred and fifty years ago Brazil became a powerful rival of
India for Diamonds. The most beautiful stones were found in the nearly
inaccessible wilds of Minas Geräes, by poor mulattoes and negroes, and
sold to the merchants. While Brazil belonged to the Portuguese Crown,
Lisbon enjoyed the largest share of the trade in Precious Stones. The
trade was a prerogative of the Crown.
At
the present day the remarkable development of Diamond-mining in South
Africa has caused both the Indian and the Brazilian Diamond-mines to
almost cease working.
In
the trade of Precious Stones, the coloured stones stand far behind the
Diamond ; insomuch, that this stone alone represents about 90 per
cent., and the others altogether only 10 per cent, of the quantity on
sale.
Apart
from the class to which the Precious Stone belongs, the price is
determined by the beauty, the quality and play of colour, brilliancy,
purity, rarity, the perfection of the cutting, and above all, the
weight of the stone. This last quality greatly increases the price ;
for as the most beautiful stones are generally found in only
small_crystals, the value rises with the size of the gem.
In
the case of Semi-Precious Stones, the size and colour also are much
considered in determining the price, but these advantages are not so
important as the artistic working of the stones. Stones depend mainly
upon this adventitious circumstance for their actual worth. As a
general maxim gems are valuable for their rarity, freedom from flaws
and quality ; fashion occasionally exercising influence in a greater or
less degree upon their market
