The topaz is a miniature reproduction of the rich gold which illumines the setting sun. – Charles Blanc, Art in Ornament and Dress, 1875, translated from French

The hues of the opal, the light of the diamond, are not to be seen if the eye is too near. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

There is in them a softer fire than the ruby, there is the brilliant purple of the amethyst, and the sea green of the emerald – all shining together in incredible union. Some by their splendor rival the colors of the painters, others the flame of burning sulphur or of fire quickened by oil. – Pliny, about the opal

The emerald condenses the green of the meadows and certain aspects of the ocean. – Charles Blanc, Art in Ornament and Dress, 1875, translated from French