Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1882-05-29
PRECIOUS STONES.

PRECIOUS STONES.
We Characteristics by which jewel.
srs Can Recognize Diamonds
Handled by Them.
A New York reporter interviewed MIR.
Andrews, of Tiffany's. "How are you
70 identify unset diamonds ?" the re-
porter asked. Here, now, is dia-
mond," he said, holding up a flashing
yellow crystal as big as pigeons egg
that is one Of the remarkable diamonds
Vt the world. and could be identified
anywhere ~ weighs 1876 carats, and is
worth $40, 0on. While yellow diamonds
sIe plentiful, yet there are few with ."
clear. decided tint Ike this; and it is pc
culiar in lie cutting, from the fact that
II has two rows of facets from the girdle,
,'r largest circu ference of the stone, ~
the table, as the fiat top OF the stone l.
called. In the ordinary style of cutting
brilliant there is only one row of facets
between girdle and table. Here is
diamond" picking up brilliant clear al
like y rainbow, "that weighs only two
aud one half carats, and it is yet worth
$500, from the fact that it is of the
Flrcst water. A diamond as notable rs
this we could positively identify from it's
characteristics. Here is annt]er," pick
'ng up yellow stone, "that weighs
nearly as much, two and three fourths
"aruts, and is ret worth only 1915, be-
cause IF its color. yellow diamond, are
h,r! to identity Ivy appearance, because
tl.,y are SO plentiful Diamonds come of
vi "olors, pink, blue and brown being
inrc and wo.th much more than yellow.
ync pure white, free from stain or flaw,
Is the most va!,l bic OF NIL. Odd colors
a:e 80 rare that they afford ready
means OF identification. Here is black
liamond," he said. holding up large
bril- innt that oddly combined perfect
transparency with blackish tint
this is one OF tho largest and best
black diamonds III the world. 1t weighs
tive carats, and is worth 80, 500. Now,
here, picking up beautiful diamond of
clear pink hue, sis curiosity. that
we could readily identify anywhere. It
weighs eight carats, less sixteenth.
and is worth 5000. The color is .
rare one, and it is exquistely pure
Here is another extraordinary diamond"
de showed large pearl-shaped stone of
. cinnamon color. "That is an East
Indian gem, and is very old. Although
It weighs seventeen carats it is not worth
~ much as the smaller pink brilliant.
ON account OF its color. Its value is
1000. Such marked stones as those I
have shown you we could positively
identity by their characteristics. But
there would be no means Of identifying
such Stones as these" he said. as he
poured u handful OF small diamonds on
tho table. They were nearly all of
color, and of small size.
How, then, do you avoid mistakes
and protect yourself against fraudulent
claims when you take diamonds to set ?"
In the first place, we will have
soothing to do with paste, no matter
what price might be offered us to set it.
Nobody i'll the store is allowed to wear
paste gem, and if by mistake paste
brilliant Is taken III at the repair counter
1t Is immediately sent back to the owner.
That rarely happens. Some time ago.
when we refused TO reset stone on the
ground that 1t was paste, the owner was
greatly surprised 10 hear that it was not
genuine. The lady investigated the
iuatter, aud found that dishonest SER
want had removed the diamond and sub.
Atituted paste gem. She had never
Anown the difference, although an ex-
pert does Lot hesitate moment in pro-
nouuclng upon the genuineness OF =
stone.
"Whcn diamond is brought to u.s."
Mr.. Andrews went on, ait goes imme-
diately into the hands of an expert who
gives it microscopic scrutiny. It is
weighed. any chip or flaw is noted. and
all these facts arerecorded together with
= little diagram indicating the location
Of the detects. Then it goes into the
workman's hands. This enables us to
be certain that we arc returning exactly
the same diamond that we take in. No
one diamond i'll a thousand is free from
Aaws, so that there are always identify
ing characteristics. People are fre.
4uently surprised to tiId their diamonds
have defects, but it is often the case that
the cutter will leave in flaw that can
be covered 10y tine setting, as very fire..
Quently the cutting out of defect would
lOse half n carat or more OF weight"
Twill diamonds chip off ia wear.
ingi"
Every rarely. You may lay dia-
Nond OH an anvil and str lie it with a
hammer and it will not break. AT the
came time diamond has lgrain, and a
blow that happens to strike it along the
line Of cleavage MAJ clip it. Most OF
the defects in stones are natural. Per-
feet pearls are even rarey than perfect
diamonds. recollect that dealer once
brought to us . collection Of pearls
valued at $3.50, 600, and there was only
one absolutely perfect one in the lot. The
rarity of perfect pearls makes us con.
'ider this one Of our most extraordinary
pieces Of jewelry."
He showed a pearl necklace, the
pearls ranging in size from peas u
6lberts. They were all perfectly round,
and some were iridescent. "Those we
call Orients," he said, land they are
extremely rare. The necklace ia worth
as. 600"