Arizona weekly enterprise., 1882-07-08
THE CRAZE FOR DIAMONDS.
Tzss EGvO4ite Gem ef American Wonses,
 From tao New York Trihune}

From Elo New York Tribune.l
 The passion for diamonds is increas- ing. Probably at 10 previous time in the history of the American world of fashion were SO many of these precious stones worn as now, nor so large pro portion of them of such excellent quail ty. Here and there the popular taste may select the fanciful gem-to -tourmaline or zircon-but the fire glancing from the facets of a diamond has charm for the multitude not possessed by any oth- CT gem. Most of the diamonds come from tine Cape of Good Hope, 8 few from Brazil, and some from Siberia and Bor- neo. Tho discovery of the African dia- nloIis six or seven years ago upset the market, but it has since recovered its equilibrium. Merchants in this city claim that imitation diamonds have not materially injured their interests. Such stones depend upon the glare of gasiight to avoid detection, as sunlight readily exposes their real character. The de- mand for fine stones is increasing, and for stones finer cut than it Is generally possible to obtain in Europe. Many diamonds brought to America are not cut in prismatic proportions, and have to be cut over by American workmen to bring out their real beauty. A diamond has thirty-six facets on top and twenty { four facets below. If the distance from ! the "table" to the "color" is more than one-third of the stone, its "Gfe" r Is lost and it should be recut. The bot tom of good diamond tapers almost to 6 point in the cutting which is finally taken of. Of ell the diamonds the white translucent stone that is free from flaw and perfectly cut is the most va,ua- ble. Pink diamonds are rare, butbright yellow, brown and jet black diamonds may be easily found in the market. While dull tint injures white dia- nond, a marked cclor 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 suggestion of blue in their compos: ton.
 Diamonds cost more than they did ten years ago. A perfect brilliant of the first water is worth about $50; one half carat, SITS; one carat, S550; two i'arats, $500. Diamonds of Q larger size bring whatever may be obtained from the purchaser, as no fixed price can be stated. As diamond loses nine-twen. sieths of its weight in cutting, the value of rough diamond may be calculated Der carat as one-half the estimate men, toned. Diamonds imperfect or thin arc ! usually reduced to powder or utilized in tools fer drilling purposes. Three-carat | stones often bring $500. "I have fre- quently paid $500 carat for something fine," said Broadway diamond mer- chaut. Diamonds are like horses, there's no market value for them. No dealer ever sold god gem cheap. h war times you might pick up diamond trife chesper than now, but today. if you want good diamond, you must pay J good price for it You may buy Q | one-carat diamond for $100, but it will l be nothing extra-no gem. The large 1 solitaire diamond is now preferred to the l cluster. Few diamonds are worn by gentlemen except in the case of young men anxious for display. Here and there gentleman will wear soitaires on his shirt bosom, but if he has good taste he will be careful that they are small, or he may be taken for gam bier. It is astonishing how much money is represented in the diamonds worn by | ladies on swell occasion. It is g l common thing in New York society to see slo, 900 or s2o, ,oOo in diamonds on . lady's person. Mrs. John Jacob Astor has been known to wear $50, worth of diamonds at an evening reception. Mrs. Mackay, wife of the Bonanza King once offered to buy the famous Regent diamond, the most valuable in the world. It is valued at mere mill ion. but the French Government wouldn't t l sell it.
 I When diamond is over five or six carats in size it is not salabls. Halphen, the famous diamond cutter of Paris, has had in his possession the South Star diamond. 125 carats. for thirty years and hes not been able to find q purchaser for it, although his price is only $375, ,oo0. It is very hard to get rid of these extraordinary stones. An importer in Joan street had two stones, each twenty oarats. in the market for years and has been unable to sell them. ?
 "How gre diamonds prepared for the market2"
 We'll they arc found, as you know, in ailuvial deposits and are extracted by
 washing. They are cut by cleaving the stones. Then two of them are rubbed together until they receive shape in the rough. The next step is to finish
 them carefully by grinding on g reyolv- ing dlsk of soft steel which is covered. with oil and diamond dust.
 Most diamonds are cut in the shape of brilliants and some in the form of Q rose
 having fat bottom and an upper sur face of tiny facets and ending in .
 point. ,