Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-08-08
THE DIAMOND CUTTERS
ONE HUNDRED MEN WHO EARN
HIGH WAGES IN NEW YORK.
An Occupation which Requires Pa
thence and Delicaoy of Touch
The Various Processes Described.

II FfenCn iau OF siAtebnt UuSg hnllu
the noise and heat of John street dia-
mond cutters loft, was shaping, with |
his bare fingers, little mass Of half mol |
ten solder Just out of gas-heated cruci- |
bic. The solder lay in small cup-like
piece of copper, TO which a stem ten
inches long was attached. After the
mass had been patted into swelling
hemisphere the Lad took diamond from
the bench beside him and embedded it in
the still plastic mass. Then he wiped off
little crumbs of the solder and pressed
the stone. this way and that until it was
almost hidden from sight. This done, he
placed the stem of the copper cup in
sort Of handle and turned it over to
the diamond polisher. A moment later
the gem was laid upon wheel that made
2500reyolutions minute, and the work
of grinding new facet had begun
Ths fifteen diamond cutting concerns
of New York polish 10000 carats of
rough diamonds each year, rather more
than the annual output Of the Brazilian
mines. One hundred skilled workmen
are employed in the trade, and the bosses
say that the diamond cutters of New
York are the best in the world. The bnsi-
ness has grown up within ten or fifteen
years, but already most Of the appren-
tices are native Americans. A clever lad
beginning the trade at fifteen may be-
come skilled workman in five or six
years. The best diamond cutters under
favorable conditions earn from $40 to
$50 week. These are better wages than
those earned by any save the most famous
foreign diamond cutters. Workmen here
are more intelligent and trustworthy than
those of Holland, France, or England,
the chief diamond cutting countries Of
Europe. Theft is common abroad, but
unusual here.
In looking about a diamond cutting
establishment one would hardly suspect
the precious character of the material in
use. The, floors are bare, ie windows
are open, and any one may enter by the
door unchallenged. Much is trusted to
the honesty of the workman, but some
simple precautions are taken. When a
diamond cutter receives an invoice of
stones he carefully studies each one, and
takes note of its color, size, weight and
shape. The whittier ones look like bits of
clear alum, the darker like clouded quartz.
The rarest and costliest stones are of sky
blue pink, and black. Ordinarily, how
ever, the pure water colored diamond
without tint Or flaw is most sought after.
When the boss cutter has made ac-
curate record of his rough diamonds he
divides them into groups Of four or five
and gives a group to each workman.
From this time forth the man to whom
they are intrusted is responsible for the
stones. He returns them each night to
the boss, and the progress of the work is
carefully noted. In this way it is made
extremely difficult for fraud to be prac-
ticed. A cutter is seldom permitted to
polish stone belonging to any one but
the boss. Doubtless the workman would
be careful to avoid confusion, but mis-.
takes might arise. Now and then a
clever substitution is managed, and once
in long while outright theft is com.
mitted.
The first work done upon the rough
diamond is cleaving. The stone is placed
in peculiar cement that softens easily
and hardens quickly. A little notch or
the line of cleavage is made with another
diamond, the edge of an old razor il
placed in this notch, and with SHARP
blow of the hammer, the diamond il
split. Of course, when diamond car
be worked whole it is not split. Aftel
cleaving comes cutting. The diamond
is placed in little mass of cement on the
end of stick and scraped with another
diamond similarly embedded. The cut
tSr has six points presented to him, anC
be begins with the one that seems mos
promising. His choice decides which
shall be the upper surface of the dia
mond, for in the 'Fbrilliant" cutting
Which is the most difficult and the on,
almost generally practised here, the ex
posed surface is slightly fiattened, while
Che under side runs to the apex of ;
pyramid. In this way eight or ten facets
are made.
From the cutter the stone goes to tht
grinder, or polisher, who patiently turns
It and turns it until the swiftly whirlins
wheel has cut upon the surface fifty
eight tiny facets. These fifty eight facet
appear upon every diamond cut as 1
brilliant, whether it be ten-carat stont
as broad as your thumb nail, or tin,
spark not bigger than two pin heads
Now and then stone is spoiled in th'
polishing; sometimes one is found tina
cannot be made to shape itself into th'
6fty-eight facets. The wheel on whicl
the stones are polished is soft iron disl
tined with innumerable curved rays run
ding from center to circumference. Thi
is sprinkled with diamond dust and swee
oil. The moment scratch appears oi
the wheel the diamond must be removed
to some other part Of the surface.
The finished stone comes from th
wheel covered with gummy oil, but aten
minute bath in sulphuric acid leaves th
surface clean and brilliant. Diamond
pendent from pearly ears or shining o.
snowy throats never look SO beautiful a
they look unset and heaped togethe
upon oiled paper at the diamond cutters
Few large diamonds are cut in New
York. Diamond cutters smile when th
Cleveland GEM is mentioned. Grea
things were expected Of this stone, ant
1t weighed fifty-four carats when polished
but color and cutting were disappoint