Daily Yellowstone journal., 1888-10-18

more, as the iucentivS TO smuggle is not
sufficient to tempt any but the most ava
racious or fooihardy among importers.
To buy diamonds, and the same may
be said of all other precious stones and
pearls, in Europe advantageously the
buyer must he sufficiently well informed
from long practice in buying in these
markets and from special study Of the
nature Of precious stones, to enable him
to place correct values ON parcels sub
mitted for his inspection The novice,
or one having only the limited knowl-
edge of the subject Of gems which is ac-
auired by occasionally handling them,
cannot possess the qualifications needed
10 deal successfully with the ''sharpest"
and shrewdest lot of merchants and
brokers in any line Of trade, as the dia-
mond merchants and brokers OF Hatten
Garden aud Paris are admitted 10 ba
Amsterdam 10 the great workshop
where most Of the diamond cutting has
bean done for centuries. Antwerp,
Haariem. London and other places now
cut large quantities Of diamonds, while
London has always ed in the cutting and
polishing Of the fine colored stones like
the ruby, sapphire ard emerald.
Although Amster Inn cuts large per-
centage Of stones, the markets for their
sale are London and Paria Not only
are the large stocks # cut and uncut
diamonds owned in these cities, but the
controlling interest in the mines is owned
here also. On the discovery Of the great
deposits Of diamonds IL Africa mining
was done by claim owners, who were
known a. "diggers." Now these claims
are owned by several corporations hav-
ing headquarters in London and Paris,
and these corporations regulate the pro-
duction Of the mines. Prices are thus
kept at more uniform rates, and break
In the market Is prevented. II there
should be sharp demand In Paris stocks
are sent over from London, and vice
versa- Brokers are the mediums through
which most transactions in precious
stones are made. The craft Is made up
from both sexes. The writer hes rcooi-
lections OF quite extensive transactions
with female diamond broker. who dis
played az much shrewdness and business
intelligence a. any Of the male membsrs
Of the profession he has met
There are tricks Of the trsde" in
Vulnerable. One consists In showing
the very lowest grade Of stones frst, 90
that when at last q rather inferior grade
b reached by . crescendo process the
buyer becomes somewhat confused in his
efforts TO fix In his eye the exact quality
under examination. For aid In selecting
very high grade diamonds test stone"
Of known quality is invaluable.
Diamonds Of staple or medium quail
~, ranging from one grain TO six grains,
W from one-hAlf to one and ons-hak
sarats weight. may be purchased q sd-
vantageously Of the New York importers
- In the foreign market. bus the larger
and finer grades are found in London and
Paris In much greater quantities. giving
. wider choice for the judicious buyer.
In these higher grades there arc very
slight fluctuations In prices from year to
year, and therefore as an investment
they are the better goods to buy. particu-
lArly when they are well bought
Even in 90 large q market rs London.
II dealer wants pair Of unusually fine
gems or a very fine solitaire, it . mo-
prudent TO place an ordsr with more than
one broker. for IL two or more are started
on the hunt q process Of bidding against
one another ensues and prices 90 up.
The "still hunt" 10 the most profitable.
Should a ruby Of three carsts and ths
finest quality be desired, the intending
purchaser would find it necessary to wait
perhaps for months before such stone
could be found, and then at first hands
it would cost the price Of kings ram
som-say about the ransom OF Sand
wich Island king-sl0, ,000.- Edward J.
Smith in Detroit Free Press.