The republic., 1851-03-20
Diamonds.

The diamonds prepared for general use are
fashioned in three different ways, viz: briiiants,
on tho form and number Of their faces. 4 The brill
liants are cut with many faces, hAt-top, and
pointed back, and arc the most used. The rose
diamonds are also cut with many surfaces, but
have pointed tops and fiat under surfaoe. The ta-
BILE diamonds have both upper aud under surfaces
fiat, and edges bevelling from each surface to the
centre Of the edge. The superior briliancy of the
diamond TO all other stones is owing to its hard
ness. The rays of light being unable readily to
penetrate It, are reflected from its surfaces. M
The following are the principal colors or shades
Of the diamond; namely yeli0wish. ysllgwish
orange, rose-rcd, and colorless. The colorless
the most valuable When burned in oxygen gas,
the combination is found to be carbonic acid gas;
hence the diamond is known to be pure rbon at
Diamonds valued by the carat A carat ia
four grains, or little over three grains Troy
weight. The present value of diamonds, and the
price iuctuates very little, weigh ono carat, of the
about fifty dollars; of half carat. from six 70 eight
dollars; Of sne-eighth. quarter Of grain, from
three to four dollars; and under this weight, from
thirty-two to thirty FIVE dollars carat, more or
loss in number making carat. iedssSGw ,i4
There is great disproportion between the value
of large and small diamonds, the price increasing
in much greater proportion than the weight.
Thus diamond weighing one carat, and valued
at fifty dollars, would be worth, weighing two Ca
rats, one hundred and twenty five dollars; the ad-
ditional carat being one and half the value Of
two hundred and thirty seven dollar. and fifty
cents; the additional carat, (sevcnty-fve dolars)
and half the amount with the value Of stone Of
two carats making this sum- and 20 on, adding
one-half to tho additional carat. till n diamond,
weighing sixteen carats, would come to about uir-
ty thousand dollars; whereas sixteen diamonds,
weighing one carat each, would be worth eight
hundred dollars. This mode Of computation, how
ever, holds good only with regard 10 email, ormod-
crnte-sized stoncs--stones under twenty carats.
For diamonds over this weight thcre appears to be
fixed standard of value, the price depending on
the competition Of the purchasers. t-aB W.
The Pitt, or Regent diamond, belonging to tho
crown jewels of France, thous III not 30 large as
some others, is considered, owing to its perfect
transparency, one of the most beautiful diamonds
in the world, and il valued at t,co mions dollars
thousand pounds sterling. This diamond was
placed by Napoleon in tho hit OF his sword. II
weighs one hundred and sixty carats, and is about
az large as common sized walnut. Three other
large sized diamonds all that have as yet been
found. Ono belonging to the Rajah of Mettan,
weighing three hundred and sixty seven carats;
another in the possession of the Great Mogul, Of
two hundred and eighty carats; and ono belonging
to Portugal, of one hundred and fifteen carats. "a
Diamonds found in India, on the island Of
Borneo, in South America, and some few in Afri-
ca. None have been found in the United States,
and none as yet except within the tropics. They
arc usually found in loose alluya soil, from which
they are washed out In South America the dia-
mond mines arc, many of them, in the beds Of cor
tain rivers. which become dry in the summer sea-
son, when the mud and gravel containing the dia-
monds are taken out and searched. Eel .
Diamonds not used exclusively for ornament.
Discolored and poor diamonds are broken up and
used as valuable powder in cutting and polishing
tho diamond the only material by which it can be
other hard stones. All the engraving and lettering
on hard stones is done with the diamond. Dia
monds are also used extensively, as every one
knows, by glaziers.-Bosten Journal.