Mohave County miner., 1889-08-17
IMITATION GEMS.
How They Arc Made-Why Paste Dis
monds Are 30 Frequently Wora.


A New York Mail and Express re-
porter recently asked Maiden Lane
diamond mere ant. pointing TO u PEN
dant in the window:
'Do you mean 10 say those aro not
dismondsp"
mo more diamonds than they are
eggs. Simply exceeding fine speci-
mems OF French PASTE which Is the
best imitation Of the diamond yet dis
covered was the reply.
what Ii 'FreHch pasteP"
sit Is peculiar kind Of glass, per-
fected in Paris by Donault- leland.
Its basis Is finely powered rock crys-
, tai melted with other minerals"
'.Are these limitations as brilliant
and expensive as the dou5lets-the
gems made by imposing thin face Of
real diamond on q backing OF rock
crystala'
"They are more brilliant and COS.
less in proportion to size-much less;
but the doublets are by far the most
| durable" ..-..
"What other gems nre initiated az
successfully as the diamond!"
'Rubies and sapphires even more
20. The limitations Of them actually
possess the same chemical composition
ss the real stones The gems so made
are expensive, but much less 50 than
the real stones. and are very hard.
with fine luster and excellent color, ii
the proportions Of the material are
exactly right Eneralds. ,opazes.
garneis. aud various other more OF
less valuable gems ars all well imitated
in glass colorcd with different silieates
and oxides. Suam pearls are also 50
well made that when properly set,
they can not be distinguished from gen.
uine ones. The are simply beads of
clear glass. conted inside vita
lustr0ns solution obtained from the
scales OF some smaI! fishes -- bleak
and dace. think, the fishes are called.
1t takes the scales Of 10000 OF the
fishes to make two pounds Of the so-
luton which Is called Essence d.
Orient The Imitation pearls ars
more durable than the real ones. which
are liable u be injured by pcrspra-
ton or various other Incidents Of
wear"
"Reverting TO that French paste; are
there many of that sort Ut diamonds
sold In this cUuptEyp
"A great many. Reputable dealers
sell them for what they are. and their
price--for fine ones such AS ihese---is
sufficiently high tp keep them from bs.-
ing offered as cheap stuff To the masses.
yet great numbers are worn"
"Nhy do persons of means invest ih
bogus gemtP"
''for various reasons. One does
not care 10 keep locked up in mere Or
nament the large amount of money
that would be- required TO purchase
hinmOnds'ln suct size and number AZ
society might expect him or her to
haves DO a few really tine stones are
purchased for habttuai wear, to chal-
ienge criticism, and y brilliant array
Of French pastes isprovidrd for show
upon occasions when big display 10
expected and there will be no dam
ger of close critical inspection. The
few real stones have made a reputa-
ton, you see. that covers the others.
Another may own plenty OF diamonds
and actually have them 10 his posses-
sion. too. yet be too prudent To expose
them 10 the danger oi loss or theft in
q mixed multitude. Aud | know Of
yet another class OF French paste
wearers: young men who are in so-
ciety.' but with scanty means To keep
up semblance OF style-'dudes. as
they are popularity styled. One of
those fellows last winter managed to
become engaged TO very pretty
girl who has solid expectations and
actually mad the cheek to give her
a French paste engagement ring. He
knew that diamond had 10 be forth.
coming under the circumstances, but
real one was far beyond either his
purse or his credit. aud he imagined
that his hancee would never know the
difference il he gave her IA bogu. one.
And perhaps she would not but her
sharp old mother. who had an eye like
. hawk, suspected it and came to me
for Judgment. Nobody could have
told her better than ]. for l 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 ~ one
of our industrirs?"
"Eo. The French stand first IN II,
and the Germans are rather poor Sec
Ond. but We are nowhere. The sitti-
alton may be different. hnwevcr, in
kxus ~ .