, 1886-06-03
FRAUDS IN PRECIOUS STONES.


How Colored Gems Are I~mitated-The
oubiet Method of Description.
Il suppos there is as much fraud in
colored stones as there is in diamondsi'
an comparison to the stones of both
kinds that are sold the fraud in colored
stones is much greater than in diamonds.
There is n system greatly in use by
which rubies, ~sapphires and emeralds OF
inferior color are made to resemble the
fine oriental stones. This is done simply
by coloring the culidt, or point, with n
lasting solution of the true tint. This
gives the whole of the stone the desired
appearance, and when it is set no expert
can discover the fraud until the stone is
loosened. Even when loose l would not
undertake to discover the manipulation
in every case. AS an example, last year
I bought, during my periodical visit to
London, what appeared to be an extra
ordinary ruby, weighing about three and
one-half carrots. | gave over 81 1900 for
it. We had it in stock for about four
moths and had shown it 10 some of the
best judges in this country. Not one OF
them had found fault with anything
about the stone except the price. Finally
my read man, while showing 1t to a
customer, had his suspicious aroused as
to the g%enuineness of the color. After a
deal of trouble we at last got the stone
into its natural state and found That 1t
was worth about $3.50. returned 1t to
the firm had bought it of, which, for
tunately, was responsible. The hrm iost
nearly the whole amount as Its buyer
had purchased the ruby Tor cash IN the
open market at Amsterdam. ms Is the
only instance, where any large amount
was at stake, that l have met WIN our
ing the last few years. Respectable Jew
elers are always more particular VINO
they buy their colored stones from than
their
The second great branch OF deception
Is the 'doublet method. haven't got
one to show you, as we don do anything
IN Them u VIII give you the am Oh
a lapidary IN the city VINO carries n large
stock OF them. h method oil manu-
featuring doublets Is oil a very old stand
ing. IL can DE traced PACK TO the M
teenth century, n was first described
by cardan, who said; "A fraud OF a very
bad character ana one very uncut 10
una out was employed by Locoino' mus
venerable parsonage used to take a thin
flake of real precious stones, such as
ruby, sapphire, ETC., when he wished to
initiate those stones. He chose such
pieces as had but little color and were
consequently very cheap. Underneath
be placed IA piece of crystal or strass (the
finest flint glass; sufficiently thick, and
united the two parts by means OF a trans
parent ement in which he incorporated
4 coloring matter in harmony with the
stone in process of manufacture. In
this way his magnificent workman de-
ceived everybody, even the lapidaries.
This same method is still in operation,
though, of course, it has gradually been
brought to greater perfection. The
cheaper kind of doublets are made now
without any real stone at all. The lower
parts is strass, the upper quartz, and they
are joined, like the others, with trans
parent colored cement. Even these
stones, when set, have a beautiful APP
pearance and stand the ordinary file test.
There are an immense number of doub-
'S'' 10y i'iN "tyDo"J ~
be deceived, l suppose, with the finest
quality of doublets.
When they are set by a clever work
man 1t is impossible TO distinguish them
from the genuine article and often when
the are out OF the setting IL Is n ara
matter 10 deciue win certainty l VIII
give you an instance 'hat Is naruiy cred
'tapie 10 me Tor i nave peen III inns pusi-
ness an my NE, out IL wiz De a better
Illustration Oh the necessities Oh our traue
nan an hours general conversation
ABOUT TWO mohths ago. iauy Drought me
a magnificent Sc. Oh emeraius, compri
ing brooch earrings ana pehuah'. one
wanted ,he TWO earring STONES altered
IN shape ahu ,he "hoie reset l unuer-
TOOK the comihissioh ana Completed the
cutting. AFTER the cutting Was uohe,