, 1886-12-01
DIAMOND CUTTING.
TIE WORK THAT is DONE BY
THE JEWS OF AMSTERDAM.

The Diamond Cutters Art "A Compar
ntively Modern one-How the Work IL
Carried On-A Tedious Process-Polish-
err at Their Wheels.
The quarter Of Amsterdam inhabited
by the Jews is curious, but in respect TO
neatness contrasts u%nfayorably with the
rest Of the city. II is visited principally
to see the workshops of the diamond cut
tiers, which are near .JOdcn Brcc STRAIT, in
the vicinity Of the Portuguese syna-
gogue. These form one Of the leading
Industrial features Of the Dutch metropo-
lis There are engaged in the business
forty merchants and proprictors Of clt-
ting and polishing works, and some 49,
0 persons in subordinate capacities.
whom it maintains in comfort or in lux
ury, and to whom it is said to be worth
over SEQ, 600, coo. Nine thousand Of the
10000 are Jews, that race having had
from very distant times an extraordinary
affinity for this form Of wealth.
\ COMPARATIVELY MoDEEN ART.
1t is strange to think that the art OF
cutting the diamond, though the stone
itself has been held precious from "a
period which antcdatcs history, should
only have been discovered in the Six
tccnth century. Before that time rough
diamonds only were used, and those
were preferred which presented naturally
n pyramidal figure, and which were set.
with the point projecting In 1915
Louis de Bcrgucm discovered the art of
cutting the stonc and Of polishing it with
its dust. Then for the first time its
true beauty was revealed. It has from
time TO time been cut in many forms, ns
any one may see who examines models of
those most famous, but only two are now
employed by skilful lapidarics-thc rose
and the brilliant. The rose cutting is
only for thin stones. 1t presents on
one side n pyramid Of triangular fnccts
II on the other n fiat surface, to be hid
den by the mounting. The brilliant, on
the contrary, presents on one sid n fat
surface, surrounded by triangular fac
cts. and on The other n pyramid of facets.
intended 10 be placed openly in the set
ting and to reflect the light.
Most Of the diamond cutting and pol-
ishing establishments are in Zwangen-
burger strait, and unless one has n guide
he finds the locality with difficulty. Once
found, there is no trouble about seeing
the operations. The proprietors are only
too glad to receive visitors, who may be.
come customers, for there IL n good deal
Of rivalry in the business. The conci
crgc onducts them through the place.
receiving half u form f21 cents for the
service.
now ruE WORK Is DONE.
The worl, IL carried on on several
floors, and the processes. though nice.
are simple, uniform and casily under
stood. The power is supplied by II hand
some steam engine in the basement in n
very simple manner. by means of cogs
it ia transferred TO upright shafts run
ming NJ through the different floors.
These haNc grcat horizontal pullics from
which it is conveyed to the polishing
wheels ranged along the sides of the
roons- These are also horizontal. The
first operation consists in dividing the
diamond IA many times rs is deemed nee
cssary Technically this is called cleay-
age, II II Is one Of the miracles Of ma
ture that The hardest substance known
ia capable of such minute separation.
II is the business of the skilful work
man to find the cleavage by following the
teams of its crystalline forms, which run
parallel To the faccs Of n regular octahe-
uron- Having found il he fixes the rough
diamond on the end of u short stick. or
mandrel, by means Of u cement which ia
easily softcned by heat, but hardens
quickly, holding the stone in its place
with the requisite tonacity Then by
the aid of another diamond having n CIT,
ting edge and fixed to another ,asndrel
n nj ur' tb ~e'i G"co m M NV as a 7 " ,ine
only necessary theslshlA iy the edge Of
= small sharp instrument TO the line he
has traced, give n smart blow and the
diamond quickly separates at the point
desired.
TEDIOUS PROCESS.
The first cutting is done by n workman
Whose hands are protected by thick
gloves, who, having fixed two diamonds
immoyably in the manner Just described.
ruhs them hriskly together, which re-
suits in giving the form rose or the form
brilliant, according TO the nature of the
stone or the preference of the mnstor.
These manipulations Of the diamond are
performed over little boxes, that not n
particle Of the powder he lost. Tho men
engaged in it sit at q little table or bench
adjacent to the main room, whose APP
p~urtcnances are all Of the most primitive
description. The polishing is performed
with great oXactitudc, The horizontal
wheels or discs used for il are of steel.
about . foot in diameter. The diamond
dust is mixed with oil before being an
piled. TIL diamond Is firmly fixed in an
e shaped piece of lead in such n manner
that only the surfacc TO be applied to the
disc is exposed. To the lead is attached
a sort OF stem or short handle, which is
taken by the polisher by meahs Of n pair
OF pincers. When touched to the disc
the pincers are held immovable by two
pieces of iron, one Of which presses it
firmly on ono side and the other on the
other.
The polishers sit at their wheels in n
long row along either wall, hut Mt a little
distance from it and facing the middle II
the room. The diamonds are fixed In the
lcaden eggs by n set of workmen, much
less in number, who sit at little furnaces
along the wall. II takes "A keen eve to
determine when the facet has been cut
Just enough md not too much.-Amster-
dam Cor. san Francisco Chronicle.