FEB. 9th 2010

TODAY I READ 'THE PRECIOUS STONES OF AXOLOTYL'

A PRECIOUS STONE IS A PIECE OF ATTRACTIVE MINERAL, WHICH IS USED TO MAKE JEWELRY OR OTHER ADORNMENTS. HOWEVER CERTAIN ROCKS, AND ORGANIC MATERIALS ARE NOT MINERALS, BUT ARE STILL USED FOR JEWELRY, AND ARE THEREFORE OFTEN CONSIDERED TO BE PRECIOUS STONE AS WELL. MOST PRECIOUS STONES ARE HARD, BUT SOME SOFT MINERALS ARE USED IN JEWELRY BECAUSE OF THEIR LUSTRE OR OTHER PHYSICAL PROPERTIES THAT HAVE AESTHETIC VALUE. RARITY IS ANOTHER CHARACTERISTIC THAT LENDS VALUE TO A PRECIOUS STONE. APART FROM JEWELRY, FROM EARLIEST ANTIQUITY UNTIL THE 19th CENTURY ENGRAVED GEMS AND HARDSTONE CARVINGS SUCH AS CUPS WERE MAJOR LUXURY ART FORMS, THE CARVINGS OF CARL FABERGE WERE THELAST SIGNIFICANT WORKS IN THIS TRADITION.