WHAT PEARLS ARE.
Pearls are carbonate of lime, the same substance of which the shell of the oyster is composed, and are identical with tke ' mother of pearl, which forms the interior of the pearl oyster shell. A higfc temperature will reduce any pearl to common lime, and in the beat of an ordinary fire a pearl will Completely lose its identity and become a pinch of white powder. All precious stones are injured by a Jiigh temperature ; the dimond, being almost pure carbon, is completely consumed at a temperature somewhat sreater than white heat. When the .St. Louis Southern Hotel was burned soi?w> f<^ s ago, a lady guest left her diamond n * her room. As the gems were large an * valuable, careful search was made for them after five α-ufee had cooled, and they were found, but tjic intense heat had covered every stone .with a white crust where partial combustion had taken place. Rubies, sapphires and emeralds lose their color on exposure to heat, while the semi-precious stojies, such as the amethyst, topez and garnet,, are completely ruined by a comparatively, low heat.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DTN18920326.2.32.3.3
Bibliographic details
Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 6414, 26 March 1892, Page 5 (Supplement)
Word Count
186WHAT PEARLS ARE. Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 6414, 26 March 1892, Page 5 (Supplement)
Using This Item
No known copyright (New Zealand)
To the best of the National Library of New Zealand’s knowledge, under New Zealand law, there is no copyright in this item in New Zealand.
You can copy this item, share it, and post it on a blog or website. It can be modified, remixed and built upon. It can be used commercially. If reproducing this item, it is helpful to include the source.
For further information please refer to the Copyright guide.
Log in