[T]he diamond and other precious stones are focuses of light, and essences of colour which seem expressly created to ornament on a small scale the human body with all the splendours which adorn the universe on a large scale. – Charles Blanc, Art in Ornament and Dress, 1875

The ruby encloses the brilliant red of the clouds of evening… – Charles Blanc, Art in Ornament and Dress, 1875, translated from French

The questions are diamonds you hold in the light. Study a lifetime and you see different colors from the same jewel. The same questions, asked again, bring you just the answers you need just the minute you need them. – Richard Bach, Running From Safety

[T]he sapphire… is a concentration of azure. – Charles Blanc, Art in Ornament and Dress, 1875, translated from French