The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1881-09-10

"How, then, are you able to identify
unset diamonds?"
Mr.. Andrews took the reporter into q
little glass-inclosed room, and taking
some hundreds of thousands of dollars
worth of diamonds out of a safe, placed
them upon table covered with black
cloth.
"Here, now, is diamond" he said,
holding up flashing yellow crystal as
big as q pigeons egg, "that is one OF
the remarkable diamonds of the world,
and could be identified anywhere. It
weighs 125 carats, and is worth $50, 900.
While yellow diamonds are plentiful,
yet there are few with clear, decided
tint like this; and it is peculiar in its
cutting, from the fact that it has two
rows Of facets from the girdle, or largest
circumference of the stone, to the table,
as the fiat top of the stone is called. In
the ordinary style of cutting brilliant
there is only one row OF facets between
girdle and table. Here is diamond"
picking up a brilliant clear as drop of
dew and flashing with colors like rain.
bow, "that weighs only 2 SO carats,
and is yet worth 1900, from the fact
that it is of the purest water. A dis
mond notable as this we could
positively identify from its char.
acteristics. Here is another" pick.
ing up q yellow stone, "that weighs
nearly as much, 2 3-4 carats, and
is yet worth only $275, because Of its
color. Yellow diamonds are hard to
identify by appearance, because they
ere so plentiful. Diamonds come of all
colors, pink, blue and brown being rare
and worth much more than yellow.
The pure white, free from stain or flaw,
is the most valuable of all. Odd colors
are so rare that they afford . ready
means of identification. Here is . black
diamond" he said, holding up . large
brilliant that oddly combines perfect
transparency with q blackish tint,
"that is one of the largest
and best black diamonds in the
world. It weighs only five carats, and
is worth $1,000. Now, here" picking
up beautiful diamond of q clear pink
hue, sis great curiosity, that we could
readily identify anywhere. It weighs
eight carats, less q sixteenth, and is
worth $1,000. The color is q rare one,
and it is exquisitely pure. Here is an
other extraordinary diamond" He
showed large pear.shsped stone of q
cinnamon color. "That is an East In.
dian gem, and is very old. Although it
weighs seventeen carats, it is not worth
as much as the smaller pink brilliant,
on account of its color. Its value is
$4,000. Such marked stones as those I
have shown you we could positively
identify by their characteristics. But
there would be no means of identifying
such stones as these" he said, as he
poured handful of small diamonds on
the table. They were nearly all off color,
and of small size.
elbow, then, do you avoid mistakes,
and protect yourself against fraudulent
claims when you take diamonds to setp"
"In the first place, we will have moth
ing to do with paste, no matter what
price might be offered rs to set it. No
body in the store is allowed to wear q
paste gem, and il by mistake paste
brilliant is taken in at the repair counter
it is Immediately sent back to the owner.
That rarely happens. Some time ago,
when We refused to reset q stone on the
ground that it was paste, the owner was
greatly surprised to hear that it was not
genuine. The lady investigated the
matter and found that q dishonest SER
want had removed the diamond and sub
stituted q paste gem. She had never
known the difference, although On ex-
pert does not hesitate . moment in pro-
nouncing upon the genuineness Of .
stone.
"When diamond is brought to u.s."
Mr.. Andrews went on, sit goes imme.
distely into the hands Of an expert who
gives It microscopic scrutiny. It is
weighed, any chip or daw Is noted, and
oil these facts are recorded together
with . little diagram indicating the 10.
cation Of the defects. Then it goes into
the workman's hands. This enables rs
to be certain that we are returning ex-
actly the same diamond that We take in.
Not one diamond in . thousand is free
from flaws, 90 that there are ALWAYS
identifying characteristics. People are
frequently surprised to find their die.
monds have defects, but it Is often tho
case that the cutter viii leave in Jaw
that can be covered by the setting, as
very frequently the cutting out Of ! de-
feet would lose half carat or more Of
weight"
"Will diamonds chip of in wear.
ing"
''Very rarely. You may lay dia-
mond on an anvil and strike It with !
hammer and it win not break. AT the
same time diamond has : krain, and
. blow that happens to strik0sii along
the line Of cleavage may clipit. Most
Of the defects OF stones are natural.
Perfect pearls are even rarer than per-
feet diamonds. I recoilect that . dealer
once brought TO Us 4 collection Of pearls
valued at $3.50, 900, and there vas only
one absolutely perfect one in the LOT.
The rarity Of perfect pearls makes %
consider this one Of our most extraordi.
nary pieces Of jewelry."
Heshowed pearl necklace, the pearls
ranging in size from peas 10 fiiberts.
They we're al perfectly round, mi
| anna WarA iridoaNnnA SsT1sn.~ -. - n