Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-08-13
CUTTING DIAMONDS.
The Manner Of preparius the Gems for the
New York Times.l

considerable size were imported, and !
proportion to the number Of gem
brought here diamonds in the roug
were few and almost always small
There seemed little to gain in intro
ducing an industry which could apps
rently be prosecuted at much less cos
and therefore more profit in Europe
where it was solidly established.
The growth of the industry here ha
been very gradual. Nearly all tn
workmen engaged in it learned the ar
in Europe, and they are still few i
number. There are only from rs to l0
dismond-cutters in the country. Wit
the exception Of few in Philadelphia
and possibly couple in Chicago, tn
diamond-cutters in this country ar
confined to New York and Boston
The work pays well, though not so wei
as might be imagined. In Europe al
apprentice to a diamond-cuttcr serve
from five to seven years. AT the enC
of his term Of service he may be a me
chanic, but often he is not. The worl
requires keenness Of sight and delicacy
of touch, as well as what is termed (
correct eye. 1t is only within shor
time that the work of the eye has beer
lessened by the introduction Of a gauge
invented by Mr.. Morse, of Boston, ant
called the Morse gauge. This, accord
ing to diamond-cutters here, has moi
been introduced, or at least adopted, il
Europe, where they still depend upor
the eye for accurate measurement.
The strain upon the visual organs in
cutting stones Of small size must be
very great, yet comparatively few o.
the cutters use artificial aids to the eye
A cutter who had been working at his
trade for nearly fifteen years was rash
enough to boast few days ago that he
could cut a diamond one sixty-fourth
Of carat in weight without any arti.
fetal aid to his natural sight. In
America apprentices serve for three
years, but, like their brethren in
Europe, only a moderate percent
age become skilled workmen. When
the African diamond fields were dis
covered the market value of the gems
dropped suddenly, and there was a
large demand for stones of all kinds
and sizes. In Europe cutters were in
such demand that from 200 to 500
gulden a week were offered for their
services. When the market steadied
wages dropped, and European workmen
now receive from 800 to $40 per week
though but few receive the latter rate.
Wages here range from s25 to $50 per
week.
The rules which govern a diamond.
cutting shop are much the same as those
in force in jewelry manufactures. In
the morning the men receive a certain
number Of stones. Before they leave
the shops, even for a moment, they
must account for everything intrusted
to them. A diamond-cutting establish
ment is hive Of industry. The cutter
works by hand. The polisher is aided
by machinery. The cutter kills two
birds with one stone by cutting one dia-
mond with another. The stones in the
rough are unsightly looking objects.
The ordinary pebble is quite as pretty,
and to the uninitiated a lot of uncut
diamonds look as much like bits
Of gum-arabic as anything. But even
the uninitiated are likely to observe that
most Of the stones are octohedron in
form. Colorless spinels, pieces of
quartz, topaz, &C., have the same form,
so that much care and knowledge is re-
CURED in buying rough diamonds. Hard
as the diamond is, an experienced work.
man can cut and polish from two to
four carats in day. Much depends
upon the quality Of the stone. If it
has knob or cavity in it much time
is lost in surrounding the difficulty.
Sometimes this is impossible, and a
fair-sized stone may become almost
valueless from some imperfection other
than color.
Diamonds of less than a carat are
seldom or never cut here, and in a ma
jority of shops nothing less than two
carat stones are handled. As labor is
cheaper in Europe than here it is more
profitable to buy small stones already
cut and polished. They think nothing
on the other side Of the water Of cutting
diamonds which weigh ten to the carat.
Diamonds so infnitesimal that it re-
quired 1900 to weigh carat have been
cut in Europe. When the number of
facets on each are considered some idea
can be obtained Of the delicacy of the
work. A breath would scatter a pack
age Of such dimirutive sparklers.
They are sometimes used for lewelling
watches, though rubies are preferred.
The implements of cutter are few
and simple. He has a little brass
bound box, about four inches square,
open at the top. 1t is furnished with
two small uprights, against which he
rests his hands when at work. lie
takes two diamonds and fastens them
on to two sticks" The head of the
stick is hollow and resembles an in
verted bowl. The bowl is filed with
cement. This is heated until it be-
comes soft. The diamond is inserted
in the cement, with one Of the corners
exposed. When the cement has cooled
each "stick is furnished with dia-
mond. The cutter dons leather half
gloves, and on his right thumb he wears
stall. Taking stick in each hand.
he brings the exposed points together
and rubs them. one against the other,
until he has produced fiat surface. a
facet. BY this means facet has been
cut on each stone. Hence arose the ex-
preston, Diamond cut diamond.
During the operation the workman
examines the facets by moistening the
stones with the tongue, first removing
any dust with camel's-hair pencil.
When a facethas been formed the cement
is heated and the stone removed and re-
placed in manner to expose another
surface. This operation is continued
until the cutting is completed. In this
way is the general outline made. In
cutting q stone receives eighteen facets,
eight Of which are the surfaces of the
octohedron. These facets are formed
by cutting away the corners or angles
Of the eight surfaces.
Such q stone completed will have SO