St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1885-10-10
DIAMOND DECEPTIONS.
Some Of the Tricks Resorted to
by Swindlers.
Persons Not Experts Taken In by Numer-
Gus Clever Devices-Some Famous
Cases-Other Interesting Talk
About Gems and Their
Wearers.

SIS there large amount of imposi.
ton at present in your business?''
asked Tribune reporter of a diamond
dealer.
''In an article where not one in a
hundred has any knowledge whatever.
and not more than one in 10000 is q
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 iawed, 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 a 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 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 81 to $S a
carat, zircon much less. Bushels of
these stones have been and are still sold
for diamonds. They can be at once
identified by experts for their inferior
hardness and difference in specific
gravity. The specific gravity Of the
diamond is 3.9, that of white sapphires
and topaz is 3.5. zircon "A. The last
method of swindling is when imitation
stones made in various ways are sod
for the genuine article. More of this is
carried on than you would think posi-
bic. In Europe, especially in Paris, the
art OF making fine limitations of dia-
monds has been brought to perfection.
MsBy 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 Arge
quantities are set in fine style and sold
for tirst-water diamonds. A dealer or
jeweler is seldom victimized in this way.
except when one or two slopes 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. It is
the coating system. BY saturating Off
colorcd tiawless stones-worth about
$50 a carat-in peculiar solution it
gave them the appearance of first-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
pract;ced at present to small extent.
principally for the working of pawn
brokers'"
Can you call to mind any we'll
planned gem confidence operations that
have not been made public?"
Did 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 half carats He paid be-
tween $1,000 and $1,000 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
large pawnbrokers who lend sums Of
95, 900 and upwards for short terms
fourteen days or so-at one-half or
thyes-fourth Per cent, he left the orig
insl ring WITH each Of them in turn.