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17. Precious and Semi-Precious Stones
寶石和半寶石
"My! What a beautiful ring you're wearing!"
“哇！你戴的戒指好漂亮！”
This compliment never fails to flatter and honor the lucky wearer of the ring or other pieces of jewelry bedecked with precious or semi-precious stones.
這種贊美總是能夠恭維并讓佩戴鑲著寶石或半寶石戒指或其它珠寶的幸運(yùn)兒感到光榮。
Most people know the names of only some of these natural treasures.
大部分的人只知道一些這類天然珍寶的名字。
Many people are surprised to learn that all semi-precious stones can be bought inexpensively, not to mention that the precious stones can also be had for far less than one imagined.
許多人得知所有的半寶石都可用低價(jià)購得時(shí)都感到很驚訝，更別提擁有寶石的代價(jià)竟也低得出人意料之外。
However, as with everything else in life, you have to pay for the best quality.
然而，就像生活中其它一切事物一樣，最高質(zhì)量必須多花錢才能得到。
This lesson will give the reader both information and tips on gem stones and their purchase.
本課將提供讀者有關(guān)寶石以及如何選購寶石的信息和秘訣.
Just what are precious and semi-precious stones?
究竟什么是寶石和半寶石呢？
The word semi refers to anything which is half or only partial;
semi這個(gè)字指的是任何只有一半或是部分的東西；
thus, semi-precious stones are not precious, by definition.
因此，就定義來說，半寶石并不算寶貴。
Actually, some high-quality semi-precious stones are far more expensive than some low-grade precious stones,
但實(shí)際上，有些高質(zhì)量的半寶石遠(yuǎn)比某些級(jí)數(shù)低的寶石要貴重許多，
so the terms "precious" and "semi-precious" when applied to stones do not refer necessarily to their cost.
所以寶貴和半寶貴的名稱用在石頭上時(shí)，未必是指他們的價(jià)值而言。
All authorities on gems agree that the diamond, ruby, sapphire, and emerald are precious stones.
所有的寶石權(quán)威都同意，鉆石、紅寶石、藍(lán)寶石和綠寶石是寶石。
Some of these experts include the opal as a fifth precious stone while others consider the pearl in this class.
其中有些專家把貓眼石列為第五種寶石，而有些專家則認(rèn)為珍珠才是第五種寶石。
The latter may surprise the reader, but on reflection, pearls are also a kind of stone, though organically produced by certain shellfish rather than by geologic forces.
后者也許會(huì)讓讀者覺得驚訝，但仔細(xì)想想，珍珠也是一種石頭，盡管它是某些貝類而不是地質(zhì)力產(chǎn)生的有機(jī)物體。
Semi-precious stones include all other stones considered worthy of use in jewelry.
半寶石包括具有珠寶使用價(jià)值的其它所有石頭在內(nèi)。
The list of these stones is very long;
這些石頭的名單非常長，
suffice it to say that there are several hundred such stones, though most people are aware of only a couple of dozen of their names,
可以說有好幾百種這樣的石頭，雖然大部分的人只知道廿幾個(gè)名稱，
and few people can readily recognize more than a couple of any type of stone at all.
而且僅有極少數(shù)人能夠一眼就認(rèn)出任何種類超過兩種以上的石頭。
Diamonds and the colored stones ruby, sapphire, and emerald are often considered the most expensive among all stones.
鉆石和紅寶石、藍(lán)寶石和綠寶石等有顏色的寶石常被認(rèn)為是所有寶石中最名貴的。
This is generally true, though quality is more important than stone type on price.
雖然質(zhì)量對(duì)價(jià)格的影響比種類更為重要，但一般來說這是事實(shí)。
One can buy a "real sapphire" for US$10, but it would be considered not much better than junk to a jeweler.
雖然你可以用10美金買到一顆“真的藍(lán)寶石”，但對(duì)珠寶商而言那顆藍(lán)寶石比垃圾好不了多少。
These professionals consider several features of stones before assessing their value.
這些專家在評(píng)估寶石的價(jià)值之前會(huì)考慮幾項(xiàng)要點(diǎn)。
Carat size, or the weight of the stone (one carat = 200 milligrams) is one such feature. The cut of the stone is another.
克拉大小，或?qū)毷闹亓浚?克拉＝200毫克）即是其中一項(xiàng)。寶石的切割是另一項(xiàng)要點(diǎn)。
Some styles of cuts are considered more costly than others;
有些切割方式被認(rèn)為比其它方式價(jià)值高；
besides, in the technical cutting of the gem from the rough stone, great care must be taken not to cut into or scratch the surface of the finished stone.
此外，在把原石加工為寶石的專業(yè)切割過程中，必須非常小心，避免切到或刮傷寶石成品的表面。
The color is also important. Rubies, sapphires, and emeralds, for instance, in order to fetch the highest prices, must be solid colored throughout.
顏色也很重要。例如，紅、藍(lán)、綠寶石必須要整顆純色才賣得到最好的價(jià)錢。
Finally, clarity or translucence, with neither streaking nor a "cloudy" inner appearance, also determines the final price.
最后，清澈度和透明度——沒有細(xì)紋或內(nèi)部色澤非呈“陰暗”——也決定了最終的價(jià)格。
Gems with these qualities are far and few between, commanding nearly astronomical prices.
具有這些質(zhì)量的寶石非常稀少，價(jià)格幾乎都高達(dá)天文數(shù)字。
A good jeweler will advise you of these characteristics and how to look for and evaluate them yourself.
好的珠寶商會(huì)告訴你這些特性以及你自己如何尋找并評(píng)估它們的價(jià)值。
Also remember that for a gem ring or pendant, roughly 70% of the value of the piece of jewelry is in the primary stone(s), with the rest in labor and metal.
此外要記住，就寶石戒指或珠寶首飾而言，原石本身大約占珠寶價(jià)格的百分之七十，其它才是工錢和金屬的錢。
Specific names of semi-precious stones are too numerous to mention, but jade is well known to Chinese.
半寶石的個(gè)別名稱多得不勝枚舉，但中國人對(duì)玉卻一點(diǎn)也不陌生。
The finest jade (apple green in color) commands very high bids at auction.
最好的玉（顏色為蘋果綠）在拍賣會(huì)上可喊到非常高的價(jià)錢。
The trouble with semi-precious stones is that they are not so hard as precious stones so they far more easily scratch, crack, or chip.
半寶石的缺點(diǎn)是它們不如寶石堅(jiān)硬，所以比較容易刮傷、龜裂或破成碎片。
If this happens, the value of the semi-precious stones plummets.
如果發(fā)生這種情形，半寶石的價(jià)值就一落千丈。
Diamonds, the hardest natural stone, and rubies and sapphires, the second hardest, are actually rather hard to deface.
鉆石（最堅(jiān)硬的天然石）和次硬的紅、藍(lán)寶石，要刮傷其表面其實(shí)相當(dāng)困難。
Don't let anyone sell you a "good deal on a gem" on the street.
別讓任何人在街上賣你一顆“半買半相送”的寶石。
Go to several professional jewelers before committing yourself —— and your money —— to a piece of jewelry with precious or semi-precious stones.
在把自己——以及你的錢——投在一件鑲寶石或半寶石的珠寶之前，多找?guī)准覍I(yè)的珠寶商。
Part of the value of that good piece of jewelry is the fact that it can be handed down generation after generation with increasing value.
好珠寶的部分價(jià)值來自于它可以代代相傳而價(jià)值也愈來愈高的事實(shí)。
People in all cultures never seem to tire of the brilliance of gems.
各種文化的人們對(duì)于耀眼的寶石似乎永遠(yuǎn)都不會(huì)厭倦。
