National Republican., 1884-02-23
ARTIFICIAL DIAMONDS.
The Best Imitation or the Real Gems-A
New Device ana It's Uses.

The Best Imitation of the Real Gems-A
New Device ANA It's Uses.
While tho attempts of chemists TO manu-
facture genuine diamonds have always ended
in failure Except, perhaps, in tho production
| of carbon atoms too minute to havo any COM
morcal value) the many efforts to initiate
the diamond have resulted in considerable
success, and all previous limitations have
been surpassed through process lately intro
duced in France. Largo quantities Of the ar
tificial gems thus made have recently been
imported into this country, where they
are sold in the trado under the name Of
| "heliolas," diminutive of the Greek word
helios, the sun. They arc manufactured
from tho colorless glass known as strass,
! which has long been extensively used as
basis for artificial jewels, but which in this
case is subjected to u new treatment. After
! tho application Of great heat this substance
is plunged into cold water, and the conse-
| quent sudden chilling has n powerful con-
tracting influence so that the grain of tho
stras5 becomes exceedingly close and fine.
! Hence the glass is made very clear and trans
parent, and given n remarkably hard sur
face, which is susceptible of high polish.
Then it is cut and polished like real dia-
mond, the cutter using leaden wheel, with
oil and diamond dust but while the gem
uino stones are always cut singly, number
| OF the heliolas are fastened with wax in n
row upon stick and arc all cut at tho same
time. For the original foil backing to give
| brilliancy to an artificial gem, a very small
bit of foil is substituted, which is attached
to the culet, or center of tho back. In this
way the transparency of the stone is pre-
| served, while the light is reelected into its
| heart.
When first made in Paris about two years
ago tho heliolas were produced in compara-
| lively small numbers, and, being sold by but
| Few establishments, were introduced at first
among the better class of people for whom
they were set it silver combs, tiaras, and other
ornaments for the hair. Their brilliancy and
close resemblance to genuine diamonds gradu-
ally caused a largo demand for them, and the
| Paris trade in them became extensive a year
| ago. Their importation to this country be-
gan some seven or eight months since, and is,
rather singularly controlled by "a Maiden
lane firm of dealers in genuine diamonds.
| They are used for a variety of purposes. Be-
sides being admirably suited for stage jewels,
they are are largely taking the place of Rhine
stones in back combs, and they are set in
rolled plate or low carat gold for jewelry of
every form. TO n much greater extent than
the unnitiated would imagine they are worn
by ladies who arc owners of real diamonds,
but who have temporarily parted with the
possession of their gems. When a speculator
in Wall street or elsewhere comes to grief"
of a serious character, it is not infrequently
found advisable to pawn his wife's diamonds
if they present considerable capital. 1t ID
also considered advisable that their absence
should not be remarked, and as temporarily
substitutes the heliolas are found very con-
venient and deceptive.
| A jeweler of New York succeeded last
season in greatly astonishing the guests of n
summer hotel, where he was staying with
his wife and several daug hters. A ball be-
ing given at tho resort, he borrowed from
friends in trade q largo quantity of heliolo
jewelry, and the female members of his fam.
lily appeared at tho entertainment in such O
blaze of gems that the admiration and envy
excited were surpassed by the general amaze,
ment.
The heliolss are cut in both brilliant and
rose forms, and are of all Sizes shapes, and
colors. Generally they are pure white. The
unset stones are graded in certain sizes, tc
conform to the CARAT sizes of genuine dia
monds, and are sold, according to size, al
from $50 to $50 per gross. When set and
worn, their resemblance to the real gems IL
such that they are likely to be mistaken fol
them by all but experts. The latter, how
ever, cannot be deceived, as there is a pecu
liar light in the flash of the true diamond
which even this imitation does not reproduce