, 1889-10-31
PAINTED Ola iIONDs.
An Alcohol Bath Dispcls the Glitter
and Causes tho Owner To yyeep.

"What do you estimate TO be the value
of this solitairoP" ask Il T. stylishly
dressed gentleman as he eaied over tho
diamond counter III a.<ri1g.nut stf7al
jewelry establishment ono day last week,
says the Philadelphia Record. From the
third finger of the left hand he had lust
drawn n narrow golden circlct set with q
large jewel of lustrous brilliancy. As
hc held it TO the light 1t scintillated daz-
zling blue rays, and was TO all ap pear
ances gem of the first water.
THAT is perfect beauty" exclaimed
the expert behind the counter after care
fully scrutiniling ii through n critical
magnifying glass. There's no paste
you want to know its exact yalue2 Well
Just wait u moment" and he disap-
peared with the ring.
In few minutes the diamond man
returned. His eye had lost It's sparkle
OF professional delight and he wore u
weary air as he laid the ring down on
the counter with the remark; 'It's
worth $40, or $50, lshould Judge; moth.
ing more"
The rings proprietor gave great gasp
and his eyes shot fire. "ffty or sixty
dollarsl" he cried. '.Why, my dear sir,
that ring was purchased but a month
ago, and II cost in the nsighborhood of
Sl20O. Do you take me Tor tool2 You,
yourself, said it was not paste"
mo" replied the jeweler, ''it is not
paste; but owe you an apology for dis
covering that IL is as miserable a speCi-
men of diamond as | ever hope to see.
Look at 1t nowl" and he held it to the
light TO show that all Its luster and
sparkle had vanished. lts delicate blush
tinge had faded into a dusty, rusty yell
low. The glitterlns diamond had be-
/ ~
at has had an alcohol bath since you
last saw II, explained the expert. "ln
these days oil artifice and invention that
is the only positive test of diamond s
worth. i gave your gem good shaking
up in bottle first OF all, and then fol
| lowed with diligent rubbing down.
| Within three minutes | had discovered
that the glitter was only skin deep"
At this point the fashionably -attired
customer snatched the maligned Jewel
with look of desperation and stallSed
"T6e man who sold that ring was a
clever triokster and his patron was pret-
tily duped," said the jeweler, as he re-
lated the story to 2, reporter afterward.
monds is so simple that 1t is wonder
these frauds don't multiply. A fine
camel s-hair brush and q delicate sort of
paint made of the shaylngs OF an indeli-
bic pencil dissolved in water do the
business. When the gem has dried oil
the improvement Is marvellous and may
deceive the very elect. 1t will be long
time before the paint wears away, and
nothing less than contact with alcohol
will bring to light the stones true shah
| biness.
"The gentlemen who make their liv-
ing by painting diamonds never attempt
to illuminate paste. For one reason the
paint has less striking effect If 80 used
and for another detection is apt to fol-
low more speedily than in the case OF
real gems. A yellowlsh diamond oi
mean quality, however, will brighten up
beautifully under the experts brush.
These diamond -brushcrs have little
dealing with reputable jewelers.. They
are afraid of them, as well they may be.
at has become fayorite trick among
this class of crooks 10 palm oil Their
spurious goods on pawn-brokers, and at
times thoy have succeeded In inveigling
from an unwary money-lender IN
amount equal to three or four times the
actual value of the diamond that they
put in pawn. But generally they ran a
great risk of capture. There Is no class
OF men extant more shrcwd than these
pawn brokers. They are fast learning
the alcohol test, and the knave who tries
to dispose OF painted yellow diamond
for n big figure will scarcely escape with
impunity."