h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

what about sound, maybe a little tuning fork that resonates at different pitches when grounded on different gems???

Good idea. nothing so fashioned.

> I suppose, at a stretch you'd hear it make a small noise.<

Skree?

Tssss?

P-p-p-pfff?

thwip?

BONGLEBONGLEBONGLEBONGLEshhhh?

clink, possibly

Not a Mehican jumping bean, then.

'tis a bugger...
Come to think of it,
This Is Not Like You, cLIVE
- you've ignored my comment < is not gold> (not glitters)

So, that ignore-ance - is it a clue?

ooh, a thought!
Clive, Thingite Warlord Emeritus or
Clive, Q'Ite Warlock Emeticus
?

There is a story that Emperor, Napoleon III, used aluminium plates and cutlery to serve the King of Siam at a state banquet. Aluminium was then a rare and precious metal and less important guests had to eat from plates of pure gold.

So, is the treasure we are after aluminium?

>Clink, possibly<

A magnet? My old chemistry book has iron (and steel), cobalt, nickel and some alloys as being magnetic.

Magnet is correct hd . +3

I'm at college at the moment Feisor, I've a feeling I've got ALuminium klaxoned, but I'll let you know when I get back and consult my crib sheet.



Now, can anyone advance as to why?

Quick Feisor, there is still time to Yikes your post and pretend you never mentioned aluminium!

Why a magnet would allow one to recognise the more precious stuff? Because the shoddy jewelry was full of iron and got attracted and the fine one was pure gold or whatever it is is looking for?

Or is the substance itself magnetic & will repel the magnet? Well, one pole, anyway.

Feisor is safe. Al wasn't klaxoned. Just my fault memory.

>>Why a magnet would allow one to recognise the more precious stuff?<<

Why indeed?

DGI+1 for Teasswill.

Perhaps it would allow one to recognise what *isn't* precious?

Like I said so sharp you'll cut yourself but barking up the wrong tree 'm'fraid.

Harrumpf.

Are we after some kind of medals? Or will that be my second klaxon? (Curse you, o befeathered one! )

Not meddles.

had a logn day - off to bed. But keep guessing, I will sort and clear in the morning.

do any jewels "glow" in a magnetic field??

would these jewels align themselves in the same direction in a magnetic field??

So we're looking for something that is magnetic, and which, in the early part of the 19th century in central europe, was made into jewellery and was for a while considered more precious than your more normal jewel box fodder. Is that a fair summing up or am I making too many assumptions?

A new alloy?

Bits of a meteoroid?