The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-10-28

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his gems were not only genuine, but
really finer than those of other jewel
ers. For a tina Zocelina Rourished,
and was enabled by means of his cum
ming workmanship to deceive the
cleverest lapidaries; but detection came
at last and put an end to his fraudulent
practices in gem-making.
1t may be mentioned as warning to
travellers that the SinghaleS at Colombo
are experts in such frauds. and fire.
quently pursuade persons to purchase
cleverly set up doublets or pieces of
rock crystal cut and polished. Doub-
lets in many cases, especially when
both parts are really diamonds, are
men who have had great experience in
the gem AMI jewel trades. Before
leav ng the diamond we may mention
another kind of fraud connected with
it. Often when these gems have been
set in a cluster it has been found on
examination that at least one of the
stones is made of paste, or is perhaps
dOublet. A rather curious story
went the round of the press
some years ago, when. on the death
of a lady of title, it was found
that more than one-third of the
family diamonds were composed offalse
stones. These limitations had been SO
beautifully executed that none but the
cleverest dealers were able to detect
them; while in the case of some of the
stones it was not till their specific,
gravity had been tested that decision
could be arrived at. 1t has been found
on examination, we believe, that neck
laceS of so-called real diamonds have
often contained twenty per cent. of
doublets or other stones of questionable
quality Respectable dealers in iewelry
maintain that it is the public who are,
TO blame for the production of false
Jewels, knowing well enough that gen
uine gems could not be gwen at the
prices offered for them. Retail jewel
ers are not seldom deceived themselves,
not being. perhaps. so well versod in
the technical knowledge incidental to
their trade as they ought to be. Trades
men of rePute, however, are exceed
ingly careful in their selection of stock,
no gem being offered for sale unless it
is known to be genuine.
Many gems are really gems of
a kind, although not the gems they
are pretended to be, but in all
probability are composed of pieces
of quartz "got up," for the market,
quartz being selected as being able
to stand the test of the file, which
glass can not do. There are varieties
of topaz and other stones which are as
hard as the diamond; and being
entirely colorlesS, they are often cut
and polished, and successfully palmed
off as diamonds. This colorless gem
material is costly in consequence of the
use to which it can be turned, Recipes
for the production of imitation stones
have been often gwen; the following
is the formula for ruby: five hundred
parts of strass, twenty of glass of
antimony, a half each of purple of
GASEOUS and of gold. Strass is
specially manufactured kind of glass
which has been long used in connection
with the fabrication of gems; it usually
contains much larger percentage of
oxide of lead than the cOmmoner sorts
of glass. AVenturine is another kind
of gem glass, which is chiefly manu-
featured in Venice, and briRgs high
price. The best thing is quartz of
VARYING shades of color, which is much
priced. One of the scarcer varieties is
known as sunstone, and is much sought
after. being valuable for such purposes
as have been referred to.
Attempts by chemists to produce dia-
ioll
usually resulted in failure. The most
successful of the early experiments
tried in the way of diamond production
was that worked out by Gsnnal, a
Frenchman, who in the year 1928 sue
ceeded in producing a substance that
was affirmed by practical jeweler of
great repute to be diamond; butafter
much controversy, the opinion came to
be ultimately entertained that even
Gannal had failed. Another famous
Frenchman, NJ. Desprets. made several
endeavors in the same direction with
partial success; he produced matter ut
all events with which it was found to
be possible to cut and polish the harder
gems. A Monsieur de Chaud Courtois
has also entered upon various expert
ments with view to the production of
real diamonds, but, so far as we
know, without having achieved success.
Mr.. MacTier's experiments at the st
Rollox chemical works in Glasgow
have been so recently discussed as not
to require farther reference.
The so-called Scottish jewelry."
made from cairngorms, cinnamon
stone, etc., is largely manufactured in
Germany, where most of the stones re-
CURED are quite plentiful. 1t is COM
mon enough to impose the cairngorm
on ignorant purchasers as Brazilian
or Mexican topaz. Edinburgh lap
diaries are able to prepare and mount
the cairngorm and pebbles of Scotland
with taste and skill. Crystals of smoky
quartz are found in every part of the
globe, and can be so skilfully dealt
with by lapidaries and experts as to be
made deeper or lighter in color as may
be demanded. Each manipulation is of
course careful to preserve his particu-
lar mode of procedure secret from his
fellows; and some of them are very
clever in their various manipulations
of Scottish stones, which can be set
with fine effect in brooches. snuf-mulls,
dirks and powder-horns.
'Mock-pearls' are the subject of fire.
quent discussion. The wonderful luster
and exquisite polish of the real gem
of the sea have beer, more than once
initiated with almost the power of
nature. But there is something about
this beautiful and mysterious produc-
ton which in the end tells against all
attempts at fraud. The imitation,
tested with the real gem, provides one
source of detection. and the brittle ma
ture of the manufactured article is an