The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1886-07-15
a
FRAUDS IN PRECIOUS STONES.


HOW SpiOrou gems Are lmltatSu-Iho
''Doublet" Method of Description.
II suppose there is as much fraud in
colored stones as there is in diamonds"
I'm comparison to the stones of both
kinds that are sold the fraud in colored
stones is much greater than in diamonds.
There is 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
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 / would not
undertake to discover the manipulation
in every case. AS an example, last year
bought, during my periodical visit to
London, what appeared to be an extra
ordinary ruby, weighing about three and
one-haf carrots. gave over 81, 500 for
it. We had it in stock for about four
moths and had shown it to 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 head man, while showing it to a
customer, had his suspicious aroused as
to the genuineness of the color. After a
deal of trouble we at last got the stone
into its natural state and found that it
was worth about $3.50. / returned it to
the firm had bought it of, which, for
tunately, was responsible. The firm lost
nearly the whole amount, as its buyer
had purchased the ruby for cash in the
open market at Amsterdam. This is the
only instance, where any large. amount
was at stake, that have met with dur
ing the last few years. Respectable jew
elers are always more particular who
they buy their colored stones from than
their diamonds.
The second great branch of deception
is the 'doublet' method. I haven't got
one to show you, as we don't do anything
in them, but will give you the name of
a lapidary in the city who carries large
stock of them. The method of manu-
featuring doublets is of a very old stand
ing. 1t can be traced back to the fif- |
tenth century, and was first described
by Cardan, who said: "A fraud of very |
bad character and one very difficult to
find out was employed by Zocolino. This
venerable parsonage used to take 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
he placed piece of crystal or strass (the
finest flint glass; sufficiently thick, and
united the two parts by means of trans
parent cement in which he incorporated
coloring matter in harmony with the
stone in process of manufacture. In
this way this 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 beautiful ap-
pearance and stand the ordinary file test.
There are an immense number of doub- !
let's in use." Almost anybody can
be deceived, l suppose, with the finest
quality of doublets.
When they are set by clever work
man it is impossible to distinguish them
from the genuine article, and often when
they are out of the setting it is hard
matter to decide with certainty. I will
give you an instance that is hardly cred
liable to me for l have been in this bust
ness all my life, but it will be a better
illustration of the necessities of our trade
than an hours general conversation.
About two months ago lady brought me
a magnificent set of emeralds, compris-
ing brooch, earrings, and pendant. She
wanted the two earring stones altered
in shape and the whole reset. I under
took the commission and completed the
cutting. After the cutting was done,
on looking at the stones my suspicious
We're aroused and thought it was just
possible they were only doublets. When
the lady called asked her how much
this set of jewelry had cost. She in
formed me that her husband had pur-
chased it while they were making tour
in Europe for 81, 200. This strengthened
my suspicious, as the emeralds, if genu-
inc, would have been worth at least
from $1,000 to $4,000. l told her my
doubts, and she insisted at once on a full
test. 1t was one of the hardest jobs l
ever had. 1 had given it up and pro-
nounced the stones real after working
for about an hour. But later, by very
exact experiment, l found the lower
part was lighter than than the upper. I
at last demonstrated that they We're
doublets, but the finest that could posi-
bly, be produced. The lady afterward
sent them to the best firm in New York,
which, after a weeks investigation sent |
back report to the same effect. have |
often had some difficulty in deciding as
to the genuineness of stone, but never
saw any jewels that puzzled me so much |
as those emeralds. Chicago News.
Curious Discovery CT Rare Metals.
The rather curious discovery has re-
Gently been made that in common allu-