Good imitations of amethyst
Good imitations of amethyst have been made in paste, and some of these may be found in old jewelry. It is worth while applying a simple test, such as that of hardness, if there is any doubt.
Kunzite, to be of value, should be flawless and of a decidedly pinkish shade. Small specimens are of little value since their color is almost always pale. Sphene is not often seen in jewelry; it is rather soft, and cut stones soon become scratched in wear. The better specimens are very bright, and they can realize $140 (£50) a carat or more.
Of the many other uncommon jewel stones which we have mentioned, there is not much to add here, except to say that their occurrence in jewelry is rare and comparatively isolated. A jeweler may be in business for many years before he encounters scapolite, or phenakite, or epidote in a mounted article; such stones are for those who take more than an average interest in the precious minerals, the collectors and the connoisseurs. Moreover, such stones have no precise market value, any more than have the single specimens of “new” minerals which are found from time to time. We are, of course, considering jewel stones from a purely commercial point of view in this chapter, but there are many to whom this angle is of first consideration and importance. The scientist is not often concerned with supply, demand, and price fluctuations.