Major Edwards High School - Mesa Yearbook (West Boylston, MA)

Page 27 text:

THE FASCINATION OF In reeding the histories of various precious stores no- th e superstitions regarding them, one finds many curious ana interesting facts. These superstitions, together with the iridescent beauty of precious stones, lend a certain mysterious fascination to them that has caused all races of men to value them 30 highly. They have been found in all parts of the world, in the polar regions as well as in tropical countries, the slight variations in stones coming from different localities oeing accounted for by geological rather than geographical conai- tions. Amon. precious stones, the diamond is the universal gem stone. The rainbow-hued rays of refracted light which are so admired in the cut stone are the result of the diamond cut- ter’s shill. Oftentimes, when cut, a diamond must oe -reauly reduced in size in order to eliminate flaws, a fact that is brought out by the history of the famous diamond, the Kohinur. This, an Indian stone, was of unusual sice when first crudely cut, but when it was brought to England, in 1850, its lob carats were reduced to 102 carats by recutting Jnf ortunatn.ly , instead of enhancing its beauty, the recutting destroyer its former uniqueness. Many strange superstitions have become attached to certain precious stones The agate, for example,- was thought to have the power of guarding the wearer from ail dangers ana also o be a cure for insomnia. Amber was one of the first stones to be used in the form of ornaments. In ancient times there were many belieis as to its composition. One poetic belief was, that amber was toe essence ? the irilliaA rays of the setting sun congealed in the sea and then cast upon the shore. Another oeliei, non known to be true, was, that it was an exudation from certain trees. Talismans carved from amber in the form of curious animals were thought to be particularly e tie c 1 1 v t .