Man, I sure loved _Heavy_Metal_ when I was a teenager. Sex, drugs, rock and roll, fed all my nerdy escapist fantasies. And you know that first scene, when the scientist comes out of the space shuttle in a corvette and flys down to the ground? That's what I wanted to be when I grew up.
I am not an expert, but I have bought a couple of small emeralds (in Bahia, Brazil) as a tourist. Part of the spiel that the seller had regarding why emeralds were special was that it is tricky to cut the gem without causing unwanted breaks. See https://naturalemerald.wordpress.com/2010/02/02/durability-i... for some info.
Also, like many other gems, the price of a gem varies wildly with its clarity, etc.
So the worst case scenario,I suppose, is that it could be that the stone is only worth its weight as rock dust. But generally I agree with you that it seems unlikely, and it's probably just hyperbole.
I seem to remember a passage in the Count of Monte Cristo where the Count has large emeralds turned into little boxes. I remember thinking at the time that it seemed extremely wasteful (and out of character for a guy who so shrewdly managed his affairs). Now it makes more sense.
That character was all about extravagance. He presents Danglars with not one but two letters of unlimited credit, then withdraws 5 million franks to pay for his immediate needs.
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[ 3.5 ms ] story [ 40.9 ms ] threadNote that it looks to be more than half matrix, with the remainder being actual gemstone.
Also, like many other gems, the price of a gem varies wildly with its clarity, etc.
So the worst case scenario,I suppose, is that it could be that the stone is only worth its weight as rock dust. But generally I agree with you that it seems unlikely, and it's probably just hyperbole.
"On the packing slip he wrote “rocha: rochedo—rock” and listed the value at $100."