Precious Stones

We come across all types of stones daily . Smaller stones called pebbles and cobbles are used for paving paths or roads. The bigger stones like boulders and rocks hold our fascination but are a menace when there are landslides especially in hilly regions. But we also see all types of coloured stones , which many believe have mystical cures and powers . Some of these coloured stones are what we call precious. Precious , as they are irreplaceable , precious because they are valued very high or precious because they are of historical importance . Let look at few :

: DIAMONDS :
Diamonds are the hardest naturally occuring substances composed of pure carbon. Diamonds are weighed in carats (1 carat = 200mg) .

: Pearls :
Pearls are formed inside the shells of oysters. Cut pearls look like sliced onions. Hyderabad is well known for its pearls .

: Rubies :
Rubies are the red gem variety of the mineral corundum. The finest rubies come from Myanmar (Burma). The most highly valued rubies have a bluish tint called Pigeon's blood red .

: Emeralds :
Emerald are green in colour and are said to be good for the eyesight . The finest emeralds come from Colombia .