Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1880-02-26
Artificial Diamonds.

1t is not of the experiments of scien-
tiflc chemists that the public need be-
ware in the matter of artificial gems,
but of the cunning workmen Of Paris,
Brussels and the purlieus of Soho,
London. 1t is not pretended that any
serious frauds are perpetrated by the
aid of the well-known "strass or
"paste " diamonds, recognized arti-
Gle of commerce in this as in the last
century, and worn, even by day, by
many vain persons in apparent uncon-
sciOusness that their harmless de-
ception is easily detected in sunlight
by the naked eye. Sham rubies and
emeralds made of " strass," colOred
with purple of cassius or oxide of cop
per, and sapphires owing their hue to
oxide of cobalt, are also not apt to de-
ceive any but the most Impractical
eye; so the lapidary who works "with
intent to deceive" makes him a
"dOublet" or a " "triplet," the latter
being considered the highest form of
his peculiar art. The "triplet" is, in
fact, sandwich stone, of which the
outer slices are made of rock crystal
and the middle piece of colored glass
or composition. The emerald or
sapphire thus constructed is of fine
color, and, when mounted, likely to
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 file-the common test of pre-
cious stones among those least ac-
quainted with them. When the sap
phire is set in the middle of ring the
too cunning operator sets a real dia-
mond worth four or five pounds ster-
ling on either side of it, Having now
laid out twelve or fourteen pounds ster-
ling upon his venture, he betakes him
self to the seaside, if it be summer time, |
Or to country townin winter, and, find
ing himself suddenly short of money,
essays to dispose of his ring, which, it
s unnecessary to say, was given him by
lis mother. He undergoes great grief
vt being compelled to part with such
precious relic, but has no choice, and
therefore confdes it to a newly-made
thinks it bargain to get
ring worth eighty pounds sterling for
orty pounds sterling-Or else tries his
land on the more difficult parsonage,
he country pawnbroker, who, seeing
he diamonds to be real, and, having
ested the sapphire, is now and then
AIKEN in by the reduced foreign gentle
nan, the exile in temporary straits, or
y his more fashy English confederate.
'ricks of this kind have made timorous
eople shy of all precious stones but
iamonds, which not many years ago
rere frequently bought as safe and
rodtable investment. But since the
lfux of African diamonds, some of I
1hich are Of such fine size and quality
s to sell for three thousand or four
lOusand pounds sterling apiece, the
0nfdenee Of investors has received a :
1de shock, and purchases are not like '
: to be accelerated until the fear of the !
.st chemical discovery has passed l
way. Yet, should even the particles !
Lade by Mr.. McTear prove as good as I
9 thinks them, the value of fine gems >
not likely to be affected, unless, in
3ed, he should succeed in excelling the y
,periments of Wohler and Deville, not !,
lily as to quality, but as to size. Lon Il
m Daily NeSOS. )