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cients, in a crude way, what fine instruments do now determined the
;
degree of hardness, for one thing. But the art of engraving, so high
in the Greek period, of a lesser excellence in the days of the Roman
Empire, declined steadily from the end of the Augustan period, and
with the supremacy of the Goths and Vandals expired.
The zircon has two very remarkable characteristics : its lustre is
adamantine, like the diamond; and it is the heaviest of all gems;
heavier indeed than any mineral not containing silver, copper, or
lead. Its specific gravity is 4.1 to 4.9, and when placed in the densest
liquid, where diamond floats, it quickly sinks. Yet while of a brilliant
lustre, vitreous to adamantine, more strongly refractive than
any gem save diamond, and of great weight and beauty, its hardness
is only that of garnet, 7.5. In color, too, it follows the garnet family,
having similar hues, if not quite the same.
The zircon is of many colors: wood or dead leaf brown, light
and dark olive green; colorless and very pale yellow, like yellowish
diamond, with some prismatic play; golden and rich deep yellow,
the latter by some jewelers called jacinth; though that term,
etymologically, is merely a corruption of hyacinth. The colorless,
pale yellow and smoke-tinged stones are called jargoons, at least in
Ceylon, and when clarified by heat are sometimes sold as diamonds
in the Orient, where the poorly polished are so well liked that the
deception is possible. Here, even with the perfect brilliant cut, the
play of color is so faint, the movement so slow, that one far from
an expert could tell the difference.
The brownish red, prized above all, is the hyacinth of mineralogists,
more and more sought for as intelligence increases, and commanding
its price. Suffused with the tropic hue of terra cotta, the
zircon hyacinth seems a reflection of earth's internal fires. Yet
though this is considered the "gem" color, the yellow stones are
perhaps more beautiful, when of a fine deep shade. Whatever the
zircon may be, always its hard, brilliant, admantine lustre enlivens
the color.
Particularly beside its gorgeous yellow does the same in beryl,
topaz, even sapphire, far harder minerals, look dull.
Clear, transparent zircon of good tint and size is scarce. Yet
for some reason, it is not expensive. It can be bought for about
$4 per karat ; lovely transparent gems. Only extraordinary size,
or great desirability, augment this figure. Surely it is bargain day
in zircon. But it is seldom met with in this country except at Tif-
fany's, where it is cut from the rough or recut from the Cingalese
original, always for weight rather than brilliance. Skillful American
work immensely enhances its adamantine lustre, and transforms a
pretty stone into a wonderful jewel. Little tray at Tiffany's, voicing
the color of almost every gem, yet costing so little, what infinite
pleasure do you give !
King says: "A perfect jacinth is indeed a splendid ornament,
and much superior to the best Brazilian topaz, as having golden
lustre mixed with its rich orange. However, it is now completely out
of fashion, and consequently of but little value, such are the un-
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