Memories distilled into a gemstone.  Of course, memories and dreams are distilled into unicorn skulls in Haruki Murakami's intriguing novel Hardboiled Wonderland and the End of the World.  From the U.S. Naval Academy's 1947 yearbook.

From The Day It Rained Diamonds by M. E. Chaber.

From Scribner's, 1878.

From Tik-Tok of Oz by L. Frank Baum and illustrated by John R. Neill, 1914.

This is a guest piece we created for DJ Misc's [now defunct] blog, showing how diamonds throw out miniature northern lights, inspired as we wre by a de Chirico quotation: "Priceless stones threw out in all directions their iridescent darts and their miniature northern lights."

You deserve a nice little nest egg so you can treat yourself soon.  From the Wizardry III: Legacy of Llylgamyn strategy handbook.

If you don't mind that they're unsorted, here's a bag of gems.  From the Wizardry III: Legacy of Llylgamyn strategy handbook.

We've always said (as of just now) that there's no point in sinning if it's not at least tri-colored.  From Top-Notch Magazine, 1912.

"The web and the diamonds and the big spider himself all fell to the ground."  From Fairies I Have Met by Mrs. Rodolph Stawell and illustrated by Edmund Dulac, 1910.

From Reel Life, 1915.

From The Link, 1960.

From Ohio Wesleyan University's 1923 yearbook.An illustration by D. Beck for Ohio Wesleyan's 1923 yearbook.

From Centenary's 1929 yearbook.

From Emblemata by Zacharias Heyns, 1625.

From Kladderadatsch, 1932.

"None of those swarming millions saw the godlike shape that hovered over them—none could—."  From Astounding Stories, 1934.

"A diamond dropped from her mouth."  From Judge's Library, 1903.