The union Democrat., 1871-11-18
The Rage for False Diam onds.

The badge of Ring official is a diamond
hrestpin-almost always false. Only the
Ring leaders can afford to wear real gems.
Yet every messenger, at S45 a month, who
fits about the New Courthouse and City Hall
wears glittering jewels, which the uninitiated,
and perhaps the wearers. believe to be real
stones of considerable value II is not un-
common to see diam )nds-or what purrort to
be such-in the ears of shop-grls and in the
bosola-fronts ofstable-boys. The consequence
is that this class of jewelry, expensive when
real and gaudy when false, has been given
up by the majority of honest folks, pearls be-
ing worn instead.
Artificial diamonds are made of peculiar
glass called strass. This glass has a proper
W OF refracting light in the same way as the
diamond, and its manufacture has been car
lied to such perfection that an ordinary Oh
server cannot distinguish gems made of it
from real diamonds. After few years these
diamonds tend TO crystalline, so that in tea
years they become turbid and lose all their
luster. These stones, however, can always
be distinguished by practical lapidary by
various tests, such as hardness and peculiari-
ties in the cutting. Diamonds are also imi-
tated by a system called "plockage," in
which very thin slab of diamond is cement
ed to some stone, such as quartz or white to-
raz Other real stones. such as zircon and
topaz. when they are colorless, or only slight
" colored, are passed off az diamonds. 1t is
generally supposed that diamonds are white.
but they are Of all colors. False diamonds
are made almost entirely in Paris. Alaska
and California diamonds are only quartz or
rock quartz.
The number Of false gems in use is immense
Prot. Egeleston of Columbia College examin-
ed last year a large gem, supposed to be a
ruby, for leading house here. He conclud-
ed from optical examination that it was
glass. 1t came ostensibly from New-Grana-
da ard had been sent to Paris and pronounc-
ed real. In London suspicion was thrown
on it. 1t was very perfect-even the flaws
we're initiated. The Professor was shown in
Paris last year bill of 500 francs, paid by
an American lady, who is famous for her
diamonds, to a manufactures of bogus gems.
His opinion is that this lady has two or three
real diamonds, and that the rest, which
would be worth 81. 000. 900 if real, could all
be bought for the 500 francs. The majority
of diamonds in this country now, are used in
mechanical work. AS there is tariff of ten
per cent on these goods, and as a great deal
of smuggling is done in consequence, there is
no official account of the gems i'm ported, and
it is impossible to estimate the number now
here.
The above facts about false diamonds. etc.,
if generally known would have the effect of
diminishing the wearing by Americans of the
real diamonds, just as imitation gilt jewelry
is now diminishing the use of real gold orua-
ments among people of good taste and refined
culture. Since it is so evident that none but
experts can discern between real and bogus
gems, the really substantial citizens may very
willingly leave the use of this dubious glitter
to those of the city's officials who need all the
polish that they can in any way acquire
Neac York Tribune.