Page:A treatise on diamonds and precious stones including their history Natural and commercial.djvu/148

 magnitude; the finest specimen known I brought in the rough from Brazil; when cut and polished, it weighed above an ounce and a quarter. Smaller specimens are not uncommon, and, when light colored, are often taken for aquamarines, from which they may always be distinguished by their greater weight and hardness, &c.

THE WHITE TOPAZ

familiarly called Minas Nova. It is a beautiful pellucid gem, and is used for bracelets, necklaces, &c. It possesses greater brilliancy than crystal, and from its hardness has been used to cover paste, &c.; and to form doublets.