Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-02-12
THE AGE OF DIAMONDS.
The Sparkling Brilliants still In
style with sweiIs and Rin-Rad.
NAV York Granhlc1

hWE WE
The Sparkling Briiliants still In
style with sweIIs and Rin-RaG.
Nov York Graphc.l
The beauty and charm of diamonds is
attested by their sustained position with
the swells, despite their popularity with
the riff-raff. Ii diamonds could be made
to 60 cut OF style the ex-chambermaids
and theatrical advance agents, snide ac-
tors, &C., who travel in them, breakfast
in them, and it is surmised sleep in
them, would accomplish that end, but
now, despite he headlights that sdorn
such collarless shirt-fronts rs Billy Nc
Glory's for instance, diamonds are still
trumps. A great many OF these people
who display gems out Of keeping with
their fortune, position, and surround
ings, have purchased them merely as in
vestments, and take the glory of wearing
them merely as sort OF incidental in
terest.
Diamonds are among the safest in
vestments. They fuctuate less than
stocks or bonds or real estate. They
don't bring in much but their beauty,
but except by the hands Of the gentle
footed burglar they never melt into thin
air and leave not q wreck behind, as is
the habit of most human property.
Even real estate has too often no ex-
istence as property except in the mind
OF the tax-collector. Aman who had the
handling of the funds OF an immense
syndicate q year or two ago astonished
some of his acquaintance by the literally
of his gifts Of jewelry to his wife. The wife
was kept in Europe. If his confreres
in business had known about it they
would not have taken this course as evil
dencing his reckless prodigality OF ma
ture; quite the contrary. This syndi-
cate did not succeed in buying up the
Legislature as they counted on doing;
their great scheme for benefting the
world in general and New York in par
ticular fell through, their affairs are in
mess, and our friend with a be-
jewelled wife is now living on those
timely-hoarded stores. You see If the
schemes of the company had been sue
cessful he would have been able to re-
place the money he drew from its capt.
tai, and not being so he knows too much
about its shady transactions in bribing
Government officials, &C., to be in danger
OF prosecution. Diamonds he settled
upon as the most convenient form TO
have his stealings in. They take up much
less space, are more portable in case OF
flight shsn gold, and are less conspicuous
and compromising in a foreign country
than United States money.
Diamonds unset are the best invest
ment. Unset is tho only proper way to
buy them, because it is the only way in
which they can be thoroughly examined.
OF course the veriest greenhorn knows
that he can't tell anything about dia-
mond set with back TO it 4; but many
people are not so well warned against the
possibilities of doublets. Doublets may
present good backs and fronts and yet
be worth not one fifth OF what they APP
pear TO be. An expert dealer was fooled
not long ago, and now he takes no dia.
mond whatever without first removing it
from its setting and then submitting it
TO bath of alcohol. The latter process
is to remove the aniline wash that has
been recently invented to augment the
brillancy of diamonds. 1t is similar in
composition to some Of the last chemical
used in the manufacture OF paste.
That paste now equals for all orna-
mental purposes the true gem was proven
when Patti was here last. Her diamonds
interested the society ladies as much as
her voice. Their "ohs" and "ahs 3"
created soft breeze through the whole
house when she appeared in the famous
necklace streaming like doubled and re-
doubled rivers of fire around her
beautiful neck. But it wasn't the
original necklace at all There is
no telling how much the receipts at
the box-office would have fallen off
if the dear public had known that it and
all the rest of the Patti diamonds dis
PLAYED for their delectation were no.
thing but paste duplicates. The originals
were lying cozily in safety-deposit
vault in London. Patti had a pair of
diamond earrings and a pin and a
couple Of rings with her that was all.
All the paste were, however, exact dupli-
Gates OF diamonds in her possession, if
that is any comfort. The passion OF
mankind for " bargains is worked to adj
vantage by the diamond dealers, just as it
is by the dry goods people with their
remnants" the clothiers with their
damaged goods, and the furniture and
bric-d-6rdc dealers with their sales at
"private residences " of the household
goods of suppositious families. Every
Sunday there are in the papers lot OF
advertisements something like this:
GA widow, suddenly reduced in for
tune, finds herself obliged at any sacri-
fee TO part with a portion of her jewels,
including one pair solitaire diamond ear
rings, four and quarter carats one
diamond in ring, four and quarter
carats. Address B., - Office.
OF course the smartie that thinks he
sees chance here to get twice as much
as he pays for thinks he is Judge Of
diamonds. The whole transaction is
clevsrly managed to keep up the impOs-
ture. He finds Mrs. B., or sometimes
her male representative, very unfamiliar
with business-desperately anxious to
sell, but obliged to raise certain
amount. Still, the price seems much
below the value of the showily-set gems
these settings are very apt to be "old
fashioned, consequently, you see, closed
up at the back" No dealer would buy
them thus, but the smartie thinks he
knows thing or two. and lays in a lot
of imperfect, spread, and off-colored
stones.
To the Editor Of the Dispatch:
Is it proper to say "three marriage
licenses ?"