Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1885-09-03
DIAMOND DECEPTIONS.
Some Of the Tricks Resorted to
by Swindlers.
Persons Not Experts Taken In by Numer
Gus Clever Deyices-Some Famous
Cases-Other Interesting Talk
About Gems and Their
Wearers.

ADOut 0ems ana Thelr
wearers.
''1s there large amount of imposi-
ton at present in your business?"
asked Tribune reporter of diamond
dealer.
I'm an article where not one in a
hundred has any knowledge whatever.
and not more than one in 10000 is a
good judge, there must necessarily be a
good deal of imposition. The methods
of cheating may be divided into three
classes. The first and most common is
when flawed, imperfect. or off-colored
diamonds are sold for first-water, flaw
less gems. This takes place every day
and every hour of the day. Those who
are the principal sufferers are would-be
smart persons who snatch at so-called
bargain and deserve what they get. If
people would remember that fine dia-
monds are the easiest things to sell
in the world, that any jeweler who
deals in gems is always willing to pur-
chase at a small reduction from current
rates, they would not be bitten SO often.
The next two methods are swindling
pure and simple. There are several
precious stones which are of an entirely
different composition to the diamond,
but resemble that gem so closely that
none but experts can distinguish them.
Even experts have often to test these
before they can discover the imposition.
The basis of the diamond, as almost
everybody knows, is carbon. The basis
of the stones now allude to is
alumina, and they are known under the
generic term 'carodums.' The principal
stones substituted and sold for diamonds
are the white sapphire, white topaz and
the zircon or iargon. White sapphire
and topaz are worth from 50 to So a
carat. zircon much less. Bushels of
.h:c.-o stsnes have been and are still sold
Mi. They can DE at once
e0wrts for their inferior
hardness and difference in specific
gravity. The specific gravity of the
diamond is SO, that of white sapphirrs
and topaz is 3.5. zircon "A. The last
method of swindling is when imitation
stones made in various ways are sold
for the genuine article. More of this is
carried on than ycu would think posi-
BILE. In Europe, especially.in Paris, the
art of making fine limitations of dia-
monds has been brought to perfection.
Many of these, of course, are sold for
what they are, many are made to order
for wealthy people who in temporary
difficulties wish to raise money on their
diamonds, and have these stones set in
the same manner to wear while the real
article is out of their reach, but large
quantities are set in fine style and sold
for first-water diamonds. A dealer or
jeweler is seldom victimized in this way,
except when one or two stones are
mixed with very large parcel"
Have there been any very successful
frauds in your line lately?"
There is always something going on.
but the most extensive and successful
swindle in which l as well as a great
many others suffered first came into
operation about two years ago. 1t is
the coating system. BY saturating off
colored hawless stones-worth about
S25 carat-in a peculiar solution il
gave them the appearance of tirst-water
goods, worth 800 a carat. The solution
soon wears of. or it may be removed by
a good application of hot soap suds.
But the trade was quite unacquainted
with this method, and before we got to
the bottom of it the sharpers had made
an enormous pile. This is still being
practiced at present to a small extent
principally for the working of pawn
brokers.
.Can Won cali to mind any well
planned gem confidence operations that
have not been made public?''
ibid You ever hear of the clever
dodge worked in London in 1881 by
one of the best-known CON practi-
TONERS of New York; He went to Lon.
don and purchased in Hatton Garden a
magnificent stone weighing about
twelve and q half carats. He paid be,
tween S.. 900 and $4,000 for it. He
then made his way to Paris and put the
stone in the hands of the best maker Of
paste goods and ordered thirty fac-sim-
lies of it. He then had the whole OF
them mounted in rings of exactly the
same design. In London are many
5 Iaroe pawnbrokers who lend sums OF
Is. 600 and upwards for short terms
fourteen DAYS or so-at One-half OIL
three. fourth per cent. He left the orig
insl ring with each of them in turn
took il ont again. and repledged it two
or three times until they were well &C
ouainted with him and the gem. One
SATURDAY., which is their busy day. he
r,,slIed around to the whole collection
and left one Of the limitations for sum:
RANGING from $4,000 to Sc. 200. HI
placed tweuty-eight in all. They pos
shy did mot examine them. closely. a.
I - vas so we'll known and his appear
nnees ard manners were calculated te
HAnds % suspicion. The shrewdes
pawnbrokers in London were taken il
by this schemer. The Attenborough.
: ffi,is family have about eight establish
had five of these rings. the Russell.
had three, and so. forth. A much
cleyerer though not such an extensive
scheme was worked in Paris in 1873 BY
. notor;ous French scheyalier de indus.
{ tri1s He bad = magnificent stone worth
140Q3 francs. Of which he also had a
knjtation mads and set in the aozne
l9HapeF Is the orieinal H thsnNeai
z IA ma ezff6l ~ xellif slek thMs.
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