Jasper County Democrat, Volume 9, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 February 1907 — The Ruby. [ARTICLE]

The Ruby.

There are four degrees of merit In the ruby class. The first is the deep blood red oriental ruby—the “cochineal red”—pure, suggestive, without admixture of the brown or violet. The second is the spinel, almost as beautiful as the oriental, but a shade less rich, less supreme In color. The third Is the balas, a rose red ruby, valuable In proportion to Its depth of tint and esteemed perfect only when It attains a certain size and weight A small pale balas ruby Is of very meager value. The fourth Is the almandine, or rublcele, of a yellowish red, oftentimes tinged with brown. The Brazilian topaz is not Infrequently made to pass for balas ruby. It Is heated In a crucible filled with sand, which drives off the yellow and fills In the rose red tint of the balas ruby. Garnets, too, have often done duty for rubles, and many a writer has confounded garnets, rubles and carbuncles all In a heap together.