FIRE IN THE EARTH
	increase in the number of facets. Originally, the "girdle," by which is meant the edge separating the upper and lower portions of the stone, was oblong with rounded corners; later it became circular in contour but with the facets ar­ranged octagonally in symmetry. The brilliant has fifty-eight facets, thirty-three on top, including the "table" and twentv-five on the bottom including the culet; or point. There are many factors in appraising a brilliant. They are more involved than merely the studying of the number of facets. True the multitude of small facets gives to the diamond its refractive brilliance, and that is the problem of cutting. But besides the cutting there is also color and purity of stone. These are matters which deserve special consideration and will be taken up later in a chapter de­voted to the problem of how to judge and select a diamond. Also, more attention will be given to the other popular shapes of the day, including the emerald and baguette shapes, rectangular in outline; the pendeloque, which is ,pear shaped and to which the heart shape is related; the