The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-10-28
IMITATION GEMS.
The Late Methods Taken to Gull
the Public.
a Gambler and His wife's Stolen Paste
Jewels-Split Diamonds with .
TinfOil Backing-Deccptive
"DOublets Mock
Pearls, Etc.

Pearls, Etc.
That old saying which tells us there
are tricks in all trades" would APP
pear from recent exposures and expla-
nations to be almost more applicable
to jewellers than to other traders; and
if only one-half of the misdemeanors
with which they are charged be true,
they deserve to be placed in the front
rank of trade tricksters. There are.
however, jewellers and jewellers, and al
though, happily, as a class they are
above suspicion, yet, as our courts
of justice occasionally reveal, there arc
also not few black-sheep in the flock
men who do not scruple to deal in
4'doublets' and paste, and who pass of
gems and Jewels as genuine, that thew
know to be either altogether false, or
to possess some hidden flaw sufficient
greatly to lessen their value Every
now and then we find in the news
papers a paragraph or longer article
concerning mystery gold" "forged
gems, or false jewels" Recent ex-
amples of this kind of news have APP
peared TO the effect that an important
discovery had been made regarding the
crown OF foreign pOtentate, as well
as a diamond necklace of lady of
rank, many of the gems in the latter
article being made of paste; whilst the
'diadem of the King is announced to be
little better than a theatrical bauble,
most of the real stones having been ex-
tracted and their places filled with
imitation ones. Another announce
mcnt of the kind calls attention to the
fact of several imitation stones hav-
ing been found in a jewelled collar
hitherto supposed 10 be of very great
value, and which had been sold by an
illustrious person in ignorance of the
fact.
What il paste?" asked a London
magistrate, in the course of his eXami-
nation into charge of selling imitation
stones for real ones. Paste, SIR" re-
piled the witness, ''means a mixture of
violin glass and borax;" from which,
as we have been informed, the closest
limitations of diamonds and other
precious stones can be made. Visitors
to Paris who have Toasted their eyes on
the made-up gems so lavishly displayed
in the jewellers windows of the Rue
de la Paix and the Palais-Roya feel
surprised when they are told that four
fifths of the glittering baubles are COM
posed of paste, and are of little value
as compared with real gems. 1t used
to be said that most of the jewelry
shown in the Palais- Royal was manu-
featured for use on the stage; but
the actresses of to-day, unless Obliged
to wear paste, will, when they can afford
it, adOrn their persons with none but
real gems. The names of several artists
might easily be given who are reputed
to be passing rich in diamonds and ru-
bies, and who are possessed besides of
pearls of great price. Some actresses,
indeed, seem to draw audiences nova
days as much by the aid of their Jewels
as their talents. When a female star
visits the provinces, pains are fire.
quently taken to proclaim the number
and value of her gems and jewels. Who.
then, wears the paste diamonds and
other imitation gems which are manu-
featured? To this question, an answer
of rather astartling kind has more than
once been given, and one of the latest
may here be noted. A gentleman who
was deeply involved in the pursuits of
the turf requiring a considerable sum
of money to pay his debts of honor.
stole his wife's jewels in order to pawn
them. To his CONSERVATION, the pawn
broker refused to look at them.
"Why?" was feverishly asked. '.Be-
cause they are paste" paste! Ny
wife's jewels pastel" 'Yes. sup
piled her with them. The originals are
in my safe; advanced thirteen hun
bred pounds upon them" Unfortu-
nately. the gentleman's wife was as
great gambler as her husband. and
she had been obliged to pawn her dia-
monds to meet her own liabilities.
The ingenuity of persons who ''get
up" precious stones and mock-pearls
for 1.-THE trade" has been often com
mented upon and frequently censured.
A London lapidary who works in the
groove indicated was called upon, a
few months ago. in a court of law to
explain his mode of procedure. II
make all my limitations out of real
Stones, was his reply to the judge.
On being asked to be more explicit, he
said: Perhaps l possess some pale
stones which are of small value; these
I split by the aid of my tools; then in
Producing deeper tone of color, l join
them together again, having consider
ably increased their saleable value. !"
In this manner the colorS of many
stones are said to be intensified. such
as emeralds, sapphires, amethysts and
others. Diamonds are constantly util-
lied by being split, each half of gem
perhaps doing duty On paste founda-
ton on which it has been carefully
mounted. A stone which may be of the
value of ten pounds having been split
at little cost is carefully mounted and
becomes transformed into two gems,