Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-11-16
DIAMOND CUTTING.
THs WORK THAT IS DONE By
THE JEWS OF AMSTERDAM.


The Diamond Cutters Art Compsr'
atIvely Modern one-How the Work /,
Carried On-A Tedious Process-POlish.
ers at Their Wheels.
The quarter of Amsterdam inhabited
by the Jews is curious, but i'll respect &c
neatnCss contrasts uDfaVorably with the
rest of the city. 1t is visited principally
TO see the workshops Of the diamond cut
tcrs, which are near Joden Bree STRAIT, in
the vicinity of the Portuguese syua.
g0gue These form one of the leading
industrial features of the Dutch metropo,
lis. There are engaged N the business
forty merchants and proprietors Of 1t,
ting and polishing works, and some TO-.
900 DrrSunS in subordinate capacities,
whom it maintains in comfort or in lux.
Ury, and To whom il is said 10 be worth
over S2'D. coo. 600. Nine thousand Of the
10. coo are Jews, that race having had
from very distant times an extraordinary
affinity for this form of wealth.
A COMPARATIVELY MODERN ART.
Ii is strange 10 think that the art OF
cutting the diamond, though the stone
itself has been held precious from Il
period which autcdates history, should
only have been discovered in the Six.
teenth century Before that time rough
diamonds only were used. and those
were preferred which presented naturally
n pyramidal figure. and which were sci
with the point projecting. In 15't
Louis de Berguem discovered the art oI
cutting the stone and of polishing it with
its own dust. Then for the first time its
true heaut- was revealed. Ii has from
time To time been cut in many forms. as
any one may see who examines models Oi
those most famous, hut only two are now
employed by skilful lapidGrics-the ross
and the brilliant. The rose cutting Is
only for thin stones. II presents or
one side n pyramid Of triangular facets
and on the other fiat surface, 10 he hid,
den by the mounting. The brilliant, uI
the contrary, presents on one side flat
surface. surrounded by triangular fac.
cts, and on the other a pyramid Of facets,
intended to be placed openly in the set.
ting and TO reflect the light.
Most Of the diamond cutting and pol
ishing establishments are in Zwangcn.
burger STRAIT, and. unless one has guide
he finds the locality with difficulty. Once
found, there is no trouble about seeing
the operations The proprietors are only
too glad - receive visitors, who may he
come customers, for there is good dcal
of rivalry in the business. The conci.
erge conducts them through the place
receiving half II ilOrin C2l cents for III,
service.
HOW THE WORK Is DONE
H., l. = .;y,l
floors. and the processes, though nice.
are simple. uniform and easily under.
stood. The power is supplied by hand.
some steam engine in the basement in {
very simple manner. BY means of cogs
it is transferred to upright shafts run
ming mp through the different floors.
These have great horizontal pullies from
which it is conveyed 10 the POLISHING
wheels ranged along the sides of the
rooms. These are also horizontal Tho
first operation consists in dividing the
diamond rs many times as is deemed nee,
essary. Technically this is called cleav.
age, and it is one of the miracles Of ma
turc that the hardest substance know
is capable of such minute separation.
Ii is the business of the skilful work
man 20 find the cleavage by following Tia,
seams Of its crystalline forms, which ruI
parallel To the faces of q regular oCtahe
drCn. Having found it he fixes the rouCt
diamond on the end of short stick. ui
mandrel, by means of a cement which j.
easily sCftened by heat, but harden.
quickly. holding the stone in its plac,
with the requisite tenacity. Then by
the aid of another diamond having a cut
ting edge and fixed TO another mandre
in the same manner, he traces a lint
along the fcc OF the hard crystal. 1t l.
Only necessary then to apply the edge o.
a small sharp instrument 10 the line Et
has traced, give a smart blow and thu
diamond quickly separates at the poin
desired.
TEDIOUS PROCESS. ....
The first cutting is done by a workman
whose hands are protected by thicl
gloves, who, having fixed two diamond.
imEOVably in the manner Just described
rubs them briskly together, which re
suits in giving the form rose or the form
brilliant, according TO the nature of thu
stone or the preference of the master
These manipulatiOns of the diamond ar,
performed over little boxes, that not {
particle Of the powder be lost The mel
engaged in ii sit at little table or bencl
adjacent TO the main room, whose ap
purtenanccs are all Of the most primitive
description. The polishing is performed
with great cXactitude. The horizontal
wheels or discs used for it are Of steel
about a foot in diameter The diamond
dust is mixed with oil before being ap
piled. The diamond is firmly fixed in al
egg shaped piece Of lead in such manner
that only the surface TO be applied to the
disc is exposed. To the lead is attached
a sort Of stem or short handle, which i.
taken by the polisher by means of pai
Of pincers. When touched to the dist
the pinCers are held immovable by two
pieces of iron, one of which presses il
firmly on one side and the other on tht
other.
The polishcrs sit at their wheels in E
long row along either wall, but at little
distance from it and facing the middle oi
the room. The diamonds are fixed in the
leaden eggs by n set of workmen, mucl
less in number, who sit at little furnaces
along the wall. 1t takes a keen eye tc
determine when the facet has been cut
just enough and not too much.--Amster.
dam Cor. san Francisco Chronicle.
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