The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1885-10-09
CUTTING DIAMONDS
From Che New York Times

greatly advanced in America Ns
many years ago few uncut stopa.
considerable size were imported "
in proportion to the number ~ om sma
brought here diamonds in the r M
were few and almost ALWAYS smsTs
There seemed little to gaininintroans
ing anindustry which could apuarenss,
be prosecuted at much less cost anss
therefore more profit in Europe, wbe,s
j. vas solidly established.
The growth of the industry here IL,
been very gradual Nearly All tn
workmen engaged in it learned the At
i'll Europe, and they are still few
number. There are only from seven.
ty-tive to one hundred diamond ma.
tiers III the country. With the excens
ton of a few in Philadelphia, and nos
sibly a couple in Chicago, thediamona
cutters in this country are confnedto
Boston and New York. The woii
pays well, though not SO well as might
be imagined. In Europea an apprentis
to a diamond cutter serves from five
to seven years. At the end OF hS
term of service he may be q mechanic
but often heisnot. The workreouire \
keenness of sight and delicacy oftouch 4
as we'll as what is termeda correct eve.
1t is only within a shcrt time that the
work of the eye has been lessened by
the introduction af a gauge invented
by Mr.. Morse, of Boston, and called
the Morse gauge. This, according to
diamond cutters here, has not been
introduced, or at least adopted, in
Europe, where they still depend upon
the eye for accurate measurement.
The strain on the visual organs N
cutting stones of small size must be
very great, yet comparatively few d
the cutters use artificial aids to the
eve. A cutter who had been working
at his trade for nearly fifteen years
was rash enough to boast recently
that he could cut a diamond one sixty.
fourth of a carat in weight without
any artificial aid to his natural sight.
In America apprentices serve for
three years, but like their brethren in
Europe only a moderate percentage
becomes skilled workmen. When the
African diamond fields were discover
ed the market value of the gems drop
ped suddenly, and there was a large
demand for stones of all kinds and
sizes. In Europe cutters were in such
a demand that from 200 to 500 guild.
ems a week were offered for their ser
vices. When the market steadled
wages dropped, and European work
men now receive from $50 to $40 per
week, though but few receive the lat
ter rate. Wages here range from $o2
to $50 per week.
The rules which govern q diamond
cutting shop are much the same as
those in force In iewelry manufactor-
les. In the morning the men receive a
certain number ofstones. Before they
leave the shops, even for a minute
they must account for everything en-
trusted to them. A diamond cutting
establishment is q hive of industry
The cutter works by hand. The pol
Usher is aided by machinery. The cut
ter kills two birds with one stone by
cutting one diamond with another
The stones in the rough are ~unsightlyy
looking objects. The ordinary pebbl.
is quite as pretty, and to the mn
tiated a lot of uncut diamonds look
as much like bits Of gum arabic O.
anything. But even the uninitiate'
are likely to observe that most OF tn
stones are octahedron inform. Color
less spinels, pieces of quartz, topaz
ETC., have the same form, so tina
much care and knowledge is rt
quired in buying rough diamonds
Hard as the diamonds are an uneS
perienced workmas can cut andp0ss
from two to four carats in a day
Much depends upon the quality OF tn
stone. Ii it has a knob or a cavity !
it much time is lost it surmountingth
difficulty Sometimes this is imposs
BILE, and a fair sized stone may becom
almost yalueless from some lmpel
lection other than color.
Diamonds of less than a carat 81
seldom or v cut here, and in
majority OF shops nothing less tina
two-carat stones are handled. 4
labor is cheaper in Europe than her
it is most profitableto buy small stone
already cut and polished. Theythin
nothing on the other side Of the watt
of cutting diamonds which weigh t.
to the carat. Diamonds so infinites
NAL that it required 1900 TO weigh
carat have been cut in Europe. VIII
the number of facets on each are co
sidered some idea can be obtained
the delicacy OF the work A breat
would scatter a package of such I
minutive sparklers. They are SON
times used for jeweling watches, thou
rubies are preferred.
The implements OF thecutter are Il
and simple He has a little bras
bound box, about four inches squal
open at the top. 1t is furnished Wi
} two small uprlghts, against which
rests his hands when at work.
: takes two diamonds and fastens the
on to two Hsticks.n The head of {
stick is hollow and resembles an
4 xyaYfnI hnu1 Tho homI so &llaI urt