Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-03-12
THE CRAZE FOE DIAMONDS.
The Fcuoritc Gen, of .Ansericass Women.

from the New York Tribune.i
The passion for diamonds is increas-
ing. Probably at no 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 tourmaline
OR zircon-but the fire CHANGING from
the facets of a diamond has charm for
the multitude not possessed by any 9TH
er gem. Most of the diamonds como
from the Cape of Good Hope, a few from
Brazil, and some from Siberia and Bor-
neo. The discovery of the African dia-
monds SIX OF 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 gaslight
to avoid detection, as sunlight readily
exposes their real character. The de-
1nand 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 worAmen to
bring out their real beauty. A diamond
has thirty-sM 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 =" life"
is lost and it should be recut. The bot
tom of good diamond tapers almost to
point in the cutting which is finally
taken off. Of all the diamonds the
white translucent stone that is free from
flaw and perfectly cut is the most yalua-
ble Pink diamonds are rare, butbright
yellow, brown and jet black diamonds
may be easily found in the market.
While dull tint injuries white dia-
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
suggestion of blue in their compost
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, $3.50; two
carats, $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-
tieths Of its weight in cutting, the value
of rough diamond may be calculated
per carat as one-half the estimate men,
toned. Diamonds imperfect Or thin are
usually reduced to powder OF utilized IN
tools for drilling purposes. Three-carat
stones often bring 5000. 81 have fire.
euently paid $500 carat for something
fine" said Broadway diamond mer-
chant Diamonds are like horses,
there's no market value for them. No
dealer ever sold good gem cheap. In
war times you might pick up diamond
trife cheaper than now, but to-day, If
YOU want good diamond, you must pay
good price for it. You may buy a
ope-carat diamond for 500, but it will
be nothing extra-no gem. The large
solitaire diamond is now preferred to the
cluster. Few diamonds are worn by
gentlemen except in the case OF young
men anxious for display. Here and
there q gentleman will wear soitaires
ON his shirt bosom, but il he has good
taste he will be careful that they are
small, or ne may be taken for gam
bier. 1t is astonishing how much money
is represented in the diamonds worn by
ladies' on a swell occasion. It is a
common thing in New York society to
see $40, 900 or 500, 600 in diamonds on a
lady's person. Mrs. John Jacob Astor
has been known to wear $50, 600 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. 1t is valued at a mere mill
ion, but the French Government wouldn't
sell it.
When diamond is over five or SIX
carats in size it is not salable. Halphen,
the famous diamond cutter of Paris,
has had in his possession the South
Star diamond, 125 carats, for thirty
years and has not been able to find
C. purchaser for it, although his price is
only 1915, 900. 1t is very hard to get
rid of these extraordinary stones. An
importer in Joan street had two stones,
each twenty carats, in the market for
years and has been unable to sell them.'
GLOW are diamonds prepared for the
market?"
Swell they are found, as you know,
in alluvial deposits and are extracted by
washing. They are cut by cleaving the