Arizona silver belt., 1889-11-23
Diamonds a, the Paris Exhibition.

The diamonds shown in the Exhibi- ton must be at least of the value of seven or eight million sterling, or for
 ty milliona of dollars. There are many specialties and tours de force, such as q model of the Eiiiel Tower, made entirely of diamonds, 35 feet high, winch IS gong off to Amerlca. The Imperial diamond, belonging to syndicate of London merchants, which weighed Tn the rough 457 carats, and now, cut and polished, is l80 carats. This stone is believed to have been oh tained surreptitiously from one of the South African mines, and IS expected 10 sell for about tt0,000. The koh.i- noor only weighs l03g carats, but there are brillIantS shown more than double that size. To Bruges is attributed The credit, in the fifteenth century, of first polishing the diamond wIth ifs own dust The troubles Of the sixteenth century, however drove most of the experienced workmen to Amsterdam; but Belginm has now regalned it's old prestige for diamond working. To Antwerp belongs the honor of im- proving the cleavage and polishing of these precious stoies. which have in. creased considerably the briiliancy of the diamond by adding to its fire and luster from the regularity of ibe facets. In order not to waste any Of tbe ma terial, the lapidary now shapes the gem according 10 itS natural form. Hence It is rounded gracefully, which adds considerably 10 its value. Since 1880 the cutting of rose diamonds has become a speciality of Antwerp. The
 line jewels showu in the Belgian see ton are marvels of workmanship and ,be admiration of all cOnnniSseurs
 Nearly ali the Cape diamonds are now sent 10 Antwerp to be cut and pol ished. Since l6i0, when the first steam diamond-cuttiug firm was established in Antwerp by MeSsrs. Bcvie. the in. dustry has made rapid progress, there being now about 50 workshops, em- ploying $500 operatives, and skilled workman, according to the work he iurns cut, can earn from fS per week upward, Tte discovery of the South African diamond mines about twenty years ago erected complete reyolu- lion in the trade. The fnding cf the famous Star of South Africa, stone weighing 63A cara;s Tn the rough, caused a great rush 10 the district, and the hanks of Yaal River were found rich in diamonds. Tbis large brilliant when cut weighed 46A earat>, and HOW figures among the jewels of the Coun, tee of DGdiey; tut lhis has been far exceeded ny subsequent finds. TLe river digeings were soon abandoned for the tarniS Of Du Toit's Pan, Bult. fOntrin. and ihe locality where now stands the town Of Kimberley. A cir- ,le of aboui 5 miles in diameter in- deed inc!oSes the four principal dia- mend mines which have been worked to 5ucG advantage. The depth 10 which Il csc principal mines have now been extavated Is from 100 to 500 feet
 The pulGc have I general impression lhat the Cape diamonds ,re usually ot yellow tinge. hut this h not SC, and they may conrlnce themselves to ,he contrary by in npeCting ibe large col
 lection of diamonds shown m the South Africa pavilion. Tnere are stones, it Is true, of varlous shades ot yellow, and the deep orange tint IS highly galred by collectors for its rar- fly. The Cape diamonds, as a rule, are indeed less colured on the average thau those of India and Brazil, This erroneous oplnion arises from inc fact that the largest Cape diamonds found are somewhat yellow, while the large diamonds of India and Brazil are of a white and brilliant hue. The dia- monds obtained from thc mine of Jag ersionfein, in the Orange Free State, are remarkable for their whiieness, verging to blue e.-Journal oi. Society