The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-12-18
JtltsteIlanp.
Diamonds.


seven or eight millions sterling or forty
millions of dollars. There are many
specialties and tours de force, such as a
tirely of diamonds, three and one
fourth feet high, which is going off to
America. The Imperial diamond, be-
longing to a syndicate of London mer-
chants, which weighed in the rough 457
carats, and now, cut and polished,
weighs $50 carats. This stone is believed
to have been obtained surreptitiously
from one of the South African mines.
and is expected to sell for about .e40.-
600 The KOh-i-nOOr only weighs 1894
carats, but there are brilliants shown
more than double that size To Brures
is attributed the credit, in the fifteenth
century, of first polishing the diamond
with its own dust. The troubles of the
sixteenth century, hawever, drove
most of the experienced workmen to
Amsterdam, but Belgium has now re-
gained its old prestige for diamond
working. To Antwerp belongs the
honor of improving the cleavage and
polishing of these precious stones,
which have increased considerably the
brilliancy of the diamond by adding to
its fire and luster from the regularity
of the facets. In order not to waste
any of the material, the lapidary now
shapes the gem according to its natural
form. Hence it is rounded gracefully,
which adds considerably to its value
Since 1880 the cutting of rose diamonds
has become a specially of Antwerp.
The fine Jewels shown in the Belgian
section are marvels of workmanship
and the admiration of all connoisseurs.
Nearly all the Cape diamonds are now
sent to Antwerp to be cut and polished
Since 1910, when the first steam dia-
mOnd-cutting firm was established in
Antwerp by Messrs. Bowie, the indus
/ try has made rapid progress, there be-
ing now about fifty workshops, employ
ing $500 operatives, and skilled
workman, according to the work he
turns out, can earn from .eS per week
upward. The discovery of the South
African diamond mines about twenty
years ago created a complete revolu-
ton in the trade. The finding of the
| famous "Star of South Africa,' a stone
weighing eighty-three and One-half
carats in the rough, caused a great rush
to the district, ane the banks of Vaal
river were found rich in diamonds. This
large brilliant when cut weighed forty
six and one-half carats, and now figures
among the jewels of the Countess of
Dudley, but this has been exceeded by
subsequent finds. The river diggings
were soon abandoned for the farms of
Du Tots Pan, BultfOntein, and the
locality where now stands the town of
Kimberley. a circle of about three
and one-half miles in diameter indeed
incloses the four principal diamond
mines which have been worked to such
advantage. The depth to which these
principal mines have now been eXca-
waited is from 400 to 800 feet. The
public have general impression that
the Cape diamonds are usually OF yell
low tnge, but this is not so, and they
may convince themselves to the con
trary by inspecting the large collection
of diamonds shown in the South African
pavilion. There are stones, ii is true,
of various shades of yellow, and the
deep orange tint is highly val ued by
collectors for its rarity. The Cape dia-
monds, as a rule, are indeed less col
ored on the average than those of India
and Brazil. This erroneous opinion
arises from the fact that the largest Cape
diamonds found are somewhat yellow,
while the large diamonds of India and
Brazil are of white and brilliant hue.
The diamonds obtained from the mine
of Jagersfontein, in the Orange Free
State, are remarkable for their white
ness, vergiug to blue.-JOrndl Of So
ciety of Arts.