State

You Just Can’t Tell About Emeralds How flu» "Carolina Emerald" jumped from $700 fo $100,000. By GLADYS CIIILDS Tiffany & Co., New York jeweler», has placed a value of S 100.000 on ihc "Carolina Emerald," the largest and lincst-cut emerald ever mined in North America, recently purchased by Tif¬ fany. I hc crystal was found by Wayne An¬ thony of I.incolnton, N. C., at the Rist Mine in nearby Hiddenite. N. C. last August. Anthony sold the crystal for $700.00 to William Baltzlet. President of American Gems, Inc., operator of the Rist Mine. It was the highest offer made for the stone at that time. In their raw state emeralds are un¬ predictable, Anthony said, you can’t tell how they will turn out when they are cut. The I.incolnton man thought that $700.00 was not bad for two hours work. He found the crystal in a small vein in the weathered zone, about two feet from the surface at the Rist Mine in Hiddenite. Cutting the Stone Baltzlcy visited the Gem Trade Laboratory in New York last August with several emerald crystals. The prize one was a fifty-nine carat rough emer¬ ald crystal (the Anthony crystal) mea¬ suring V* by Va of an inch. Close ex¬ amination in the Laboratory deter¬ mined that although the crystal seemed to have the typical colorless core, the ll «.ai a mcmoroblc doy lor Woync Anthony and wife Boiboro ««hen they «.eic invited to New Yc'k by Tiffony and Co., now owncri of the fobuloui gem. Wayne discovered the ''Corolino Emerald" in the Alevonder County community of Hiddenite.— (Photo courtciy of Tiffany (x Co.f termination was exceptionally chrome rich with a depth of green at least 12 mm. thick. It was unusually clear throughout its length. As a specimen it could have graced nearly any collec¬ tion, especially because of its unusual terminal etching. Because of the scarcity of cut North Carolina emeralds it was a challenge to see just what the quality of a gem cut from present mining activities would be. It was decided to have native North Carolinian Jerry Call, then on the Laboratory staff, cut the emerald — a most difficult decision to make — to strive for a nearly flawless stone, or try to secure maximum recovery with the knowledge the stone would have at least one major flaw. The latter step was taken, and a deep stone measuring approximately 15.65 x 12.35 x 10.55 mm. weighing 13.14 carats was cut. The finished stone ex¬ ceeded all expectations in color. When plaeed with similar colored bright Muzo emeralds wholesaling from $1,500 to $2,000 per carat, it was in¬ distinguishable, stated Robert Crown- ingshield. Director, New York Office Gemological Institute of America. North America’s Finest In color the emerald is said to be worthy of the finest piece of jewelry, and historically it can vie in importance with the 14.42 carat Uncle Sam Dia¬ mond. the largest American diamond yet cut. Together they would make a spectacular pair. Paul E. Dcsautcls, Curator of Min¬ eralogy at the Smithsonian Institution says the gem is superb, and can stand on its own merits as a fine and lovely gem of emerald from anywhere, includ¬ ing Colombia, South America. He also stated that it was the finest emerald he had ever seen from North America, ( Continued on page 25) THE STATE. July 1. 1971 9