The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1881-10-01
A CRAZE FOR DIAMONDS


! and some from Siberia and Borneo. The
discovery of the African diamonds six or
! seven years ago upset the market but
it has slncc recovered its equilibrium.
Merchants in New York claim that imi-
| tation diamonds have not materially III
( iurcd their interests. such stones de-
! pend upon the glare of eas-li9ht to avoid
| detection, as sunlight readily exposes
! their real character. The demand for
! fine stones is increasing, and for stones
finer cut than 1t is generally possible t.
| obtain in Europe. Many of the diamonds
are not cut in prismatic proportion and
! have to be cut over by American work
men to bring out their real beauty. \
diamond has thirty-Six facets on top and
twenty-fOur facets below. If the dis
lance from the "table " TO the "color
is more than one-third of the stone, its
Z. life " is lost, and il should be recut.
The bottom of good diamond taperS
almost to 4 point in the cutting which Is
finally taken Oft. OF all the diamonds
the white translucent stone that is free
from flaw and perfectly cut is the most
valuable. Pink diamonds are rare, but
bright yellow, brown and iiet-black dia
monds may be easily found in the market
While a dull tint Injuries white dla-
mond, a marked color of red or green
adds considerably to its value. Nine
tenths of the blue diamonds are milky,
while all the fine white stones have Just
a suggestion of blue in their composition.
Diamonds cost more than they did ten
years ago. \ perfect brilliant OF the first
water is worth about $50: one-halt carat,
s115: one carat. 500; two carats, $500.
Diamonds of larger size bring what
ever may he obtained from the purchaser.
as no fixed price can be stated. Asa dia-
nond loses nine twentieths of its weight
in cutting, the value of a rough diamond
NAV he calculated pei carat rs one-hali
the estimate mentioned. Diamonds i'm
perfect or thin, are usually reduced to
mower or utilized in tools for drilling pur-
5000.
81 have frequently paid $500 carat
for something fine" said a diamond mer-
chant recently to a reporter. diamonds
are like horses, there's no market value
for them. No dealer ever sold a good
gem cheap. In war times you might
pick up a diamond a trifle cheaper than
now, but to-day, if you want good da-
mond you must pay good price tor It,
You may buy carat diamond for
800, but it will be nothing extra. no
gem
" Are there more diamonds worn now
than ever before in this country
81 should say So most decidedly. |
have been in the business over thirty
years, and never knew such a rage for
the stones as exists to-day. Last week
attended 4 garden party at the Grand
Union Hotel, at Saratoga, and saw BUSH
els of them. That is the only way to
! describe the number of valuable dia
monds worn there, and most of them
were fine stones. Nearly every woman
there had big solitares in rings or ear
rings y on see the finest diamonds are
worn solitaires in studs, rings and car
rings, while for bracelets and hair-pins
an inferior stone may lie used, as they
are not so conspicuous. | noticed one
thing, however, at the Grand Union.
nine-tenths of the diamonds were not
clean: Dust settles on every thing, and
it is astonishing how little care "a woman
will give to her diamonds. They care
fully inspect their gloves and shoes be
fore completing their toilets, but Their
diamonds. worth often thousands of dol
lars. receive no attention, become dirty
and sometimes are lost. A lady Gus
toner of mine lost 4 very valuable dia-
mond after possessing it eight years. II
she had been in the habit of giving the
gem any attention she would have no
ticed that a setting of eighteen-carat gold
will wear out in time and lose its grip OF
the stone. The large solitaire diamond
is now preferred to the cluster Few
diamonds are worn by gentlemen, except
in the case of young men anxious fol- dis
play. Here and there a gentleman will
wear selitaires on his short bosom, but If
he has good taste he will be careful that
thev are small, or he may he taken Tor a
gambler. 1t is astonishing how much
money is sometimes represented III me
diamonds worn by ladies on Il swell
occasion. 1t is a common thing III New
York society to see SO 600 or o,ooO IN
diamonds on a lady 5 person. Mrs. John
Jacob Astor has been known to wear
$50. 900 worth of diamonds at an evening
reception. and should say that the dla-
monds worn by Mrs. W. II. Vanderbilt,
at the garden party ! spoke OF, were
worth fully that amount Of money. Mrs.
Mackay, wife of the Bonanza King,
once offered to buy the famous Regent
diamond, the most valuable i'll the world.
1t is valued at mere million. but the
French Government wouldn't sell it.
"A handy thing to pawn when you
strike hard pam, suggested the reporter.
Not at all You couldn't .,ld dealer
in the city who would advance dollar
on it. Every one would know it .,nd
know that it belonged to the Crown q!
France. Besides. the diamond is big To-
sell. What could You do with it? Ger
tainly not wear it, When a diamond is
over five or six caratS in size it is not
salable. IIalphen, the famous diamond
cutter of Paris. has had in his possession
the South Star diamond. 123 carats.
for thirty years and has not been able I"
find purchaser for it. although his price
is only Si1ai. 900. 1t is very hard TO get
rid of these extraordinary stones. An
importer in John street has had two
stones. each twenty caratS, in the market
for Years and has been unable to sell
them and don't believe he will ever be
able to dispose of them. Isaac Hermann,
of this city, did cut forty-carat dia-
mond, the largest. | believe, ever cut in
New York. 1t was good Job, but tho
stone was not white and was most likely
worn by 4 gambler
"llcre -diSplaying 4 case of flashing.
gems-''are solitaire earrings. two car.
ats. and worth $1,000. They are large,
enough to produce striking effect, amt