Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-07-05
IMITATION GEMS.

How They Are Made--Why Paste
Diamonds Are So FREQUENTLY
Worn.
A New York Mail and Express re-
porter recently asked Maiden Lane
diamond merchant, pointing to PEN
d.nt in the window:
do you mean to say those are not
diamonds?h
mo more diamonds than they are
eggs. Simply exceedingly fine speci-
mons of French PASTE which is the
best imitation of the diamond yet dis
covered was the reply.
"What is French pIste?"
at is peculiar kind OF glass. per-
fected in Paris by Donault-Wiel,nd.
Its basis is finely powdered rock
crystal melted with other minerals"
Are these limitations as brilliant
and expensive as the doublets the
gems made by imposing u thin face OF
real diamond on u backing OF rock
crystal"
They are more brilliant and cost
less in proportion to size-much less;
but the doublets are by far the most
durable"
"What other gems are initiated as
successfully IA the diamondP"
"Rubbies and sapphires even more
So The limitations of them actually
POSSESS the same chemical composition
as the real stones. The gems so male
are expensive, much less so than the
real stones, and are very hard, with
fine luster and excellent color, il the
nj
right Emeralds, topazes. garnets,
and various other more or less valuable
gems are ali well initiated in glass
colored with different silicates and
oxides. Sham pearls are also so well
made that, when properly set, they
can not be distinguished from genuine
ones. They are simply beads OF clear
glass, coated inside with lustrous So
luton obtained from the scales of some
small fishes-bleak and dace, l think,
the fishes are called. II takes the
scales of 10000 of the fishes 10 make
two pounds of the solution which Is
called Essence d'Orient. The imita-
ton pearls are more durable than the
real ones. which are Ii BILE to be injured
by perspiration or various other Incl
dents of wear"
"Reverting to that French paste; are
there many of that sort OF diamonds
sold in this country"
"A great many. Reputable dealers
sell them for what they are, and their
price-for fine ones such as these is
sufficiently high TO keep them from be-
ing offered as cheap stuff 10 the masses,
vet great numbers ara worn"
"Why do persons OF means invest in
bogus gems"
''For various reasons. One does not
care to keep locked up IN mere orna-
ment the large amount of money that
would be required to purchase dia-
monds in such size and number rs So
ciety might expect him or her to have,
so few really fine stones are purchas-
ed for habitual wear. to challenge
criticism, and a brilliant array OF
French pastes' is provided for show
upon occasions when big display is ex-
pected and there will be no danger of
close critical inspection. The few
real stones have made reputation,
you see, that covers the others. An
other may own plenty of diamonds and
actually have them in possession, too,
yet be too prudent to expose them to
the danger Of loss or theft in a mixed
multitude. And know of yet another
class of French paste we rers; young
men who are in society," but with
scanty means TO keep up a semblance
OF style-'dudes' as they are popularity
styled. One of these fellows last win
ter managed TO become engaged TO q
very pretty girl who had solid expec-
tations and actually bad the cheek to
give her a French paste engagement
ring. He knew that diamond had to
be forthcoming under the circum-
stances, but a real one was far beyond
either his purse or his credit, and he
imagined that his fiancee would never
know the difference il he gave her
bogus one. And perhaps she would
had an eye like hawk, suspected 1t
and came TO me for judgment. No
body could have told her better than /,
for had sold the young fellow the
ring. He was dropped so suddenly
and so hard that he has been dizzy
ever since"
/ HAS anybody had yet the bright
idea OF starting the manufacture OF
French paste diamonds here rs one
of our protected infant industriesp"
mo. The French stand first in it,
and the Germans are rather a poor
second, but we are nowhere. The sit
uation may be different. however, in
the course of the next four years.
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