The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-02-19
-=------ Arssffciaf Diamonds.

1t is not efthe experiments OF scien-
tiic chemists that the -publie-need be- 4 4
ware in the-matter of artificial gems,-
but OF the cunning workmenh Of Paris,
Brussels and the puriieus of Soho,
London. lt-ls not pretended that any
serious frauds are perpetrated BY the
aid of the well known ssstrassr or
"paste" diamonds, 3 recognized arti--
Gle of commerce in this as in the last
century, and worn, even by day, by
many vain persons in apparent uncon-
seriousness that their harmless deception
is easily detected in sunlight by the
naked eye. Sham rubies and emeralds
made of g strass,'' colored with purple q
of cassius or oxide of copper, and sap
phires owing their hue TO oxide of coz
bait, are also not apt to deceive any but
the most Impractical eye; so the lapi-S 1
Diary who works ''with intent TO de-
ceiver makes him "doublet' or a.
sstriplet," the latter being considered
the highest form of his peculiar art.
The sstripletr is, in fact, a sandwich
stone, of which the outer slices are
made of rock crystal and the
middle piece of colored glass or
phire thus constructed is of fine.
impose on all but experts. In mount
ing his sham sapphire, which may be
worth from thirty to fifty shillings, the
workman conceals the double joint at
the "girdle " of the stone, and thus,
presents two surfaces, both of which
resist the fle-the common test of q
precious stones among those least ac-
qualnted with them. When the sapphire L.
is set in the middle of a ring the too
cunning operator sets a real diamond
worth four or five pounds sterling on
either side of it. Having now laid out
twelve or fourteen pounds sterling upon
his venture, he betakes himself to the
seaside, if it be summer time, or to
the country town in winter, and, finding
himself suddenly short of money,
essays to dispose of his ring, which, it .
is unnecessary to say, was given him by
his mother. He undergoes great grief
at being compelled to part with such
precious relic, but has no choice,
and therefore confdes it to newly
made friend-who thinks it. T. bargain
to get ring worth eighty, pounds
sterling for forty pounds Nster1ing-or J.
else tries his hand on the more difficult
parsonage, the country pawnbroker,
who, seeing the diamonds to be real,
and, having tested the sapphire, is now
and then taken in by the reduced foreign
gentleman, the exile in temporary
straits, or by his more fashy English
confederate. Tricks of this kind have
made timOrous people shy of all stones
but diamonds, which not many years
ago were frequently bought as a safe
and profitable investment. But since
the influx of African diamonds, some of
which are of such fine size and quality
as to sell for three thousand or four
thousand pounds sterling apiece, the
confidence of investors has received 8
rude shock. and purchases are not like
ly to be accelerated until the fear of the
last chemical discovery has passed
away. Yet, should even the particles
made by Mr.. McTear prove as good as
he thinks them, the value of fine gems
is not likely to be affected, unless, in
deed, he should succeed in excelling
the experiments of Wohler and Deville,l
not only as to quality, but as to size.-.,
London D71ilq NeUs. - ht33t'4 Att p.