The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1885-10-01
DIAMOND DECEPTIONS.
Some Of the Tricks Resorted to
by Swindlers.
Persons Not Experts Taken in by Numer-
ous Clever Devices-Some Famous
Cases-Other Interesting Talk
About Gems and Their
Wearerss

SIS there large amount of imposi-
ton at present in your businessp"
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 q
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 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 swindIing
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 zrcon or iargon. White sapphire.
and topaz are worth from 80 to So 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
Tor the genuine article. More of this is
carried on than you would think possi-
Ole. In Europe. especiallyin 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
ior wealthy people who in temporary
aiflculties wish to raise money on their
N14m6pffc aysd hoxvn H. .
tne same manner to wear while the real
article is out of their reach. but large
quantities are set in fine style and sold
iof nrst-water diamonds. A dealer or
leWeler is seldom victimized in this way.
except when one or two stopes are
mixed with a very large parcel.
daFe there been any very successful
frauds in your line lately?"
Ihere is always something going on.
pot tae most extensive and successful
sWlndle in which as well as a great
many others Suffered first came into
operation about two years ago. 1t is
sas coating system. By satt,rating Off
solored sasd hawless stones-worth about
s-gA earat--in a peculiar solution it
sass @ tnem the appearance of first-water
sooass worth 800 carat. The solution
soon wears of, or it may be removed by
geod application of hot SOAP. suds.
.,. pa. tne trade was quite unacquainted
miel TINS method, and before we got to
s,e bottom of it the sharpers had made
= enormous pile. This is still being
p.aceced at present to small extent.
h.inclpailys for the working of pawn
:. oan you call to mind any we'll
.anned gem confidence operations that
uaae not been made puhlicp', "a
Al Dd You ever hear of the clever
aoage worked in London in 1881 by
ene Of the best-known con, practi-
So. liners Of New York? He went to Lon
nsn ma. ana purchased in Hatton Garden a
.aagnlhcent stone weighing about
smelFe and Q half carats. He7paid he
thas nesn 1890 and $1,000 for it. He
s.oa. saeu made his way to Paris and put the
lone ssoae IN the hands of the best maker of
ses goods and ordered thirty fae-si,n-
.,es of 1t. He then had the whole Of
ssr.a r,n mounted in rings of exactly the
a.ue isau design. In London are many
e e. e 81 pawnhrokers who lend sums of
sS,uVo and upwards for short terms
ess esseeen M days or so-at one-half or
isssss1.ourIn - per cent. He left the oYir.
US With each o. thsm In sur5.