The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-12-04

'Three-ffths oil the diamonds in the
United States are owned in New York. If
you want to get an accurate idea OF the
number, size and arrangement of these
gems you must see them worn" Mr..
Charles Cook, managing partner in the
great firm whose reputation has spread
from Union Square to Golconda, Cape
Town and Brazil, laughed. as he continued
his description to a New York World re-
porter. cor 60 to the opera some evening
when the leaders of the cay world are
there; then you will see diamonds The
women of New York own more OF them
and are less afraid to wear them than are
any other women in the world, except,
perhaps, those of London and Paris. The
most gorgeous display of diamonds l have
ever seen was at the Covent Garden
opera-house in London. But the displays
made here on proper occasions are Won
derful. American women are not afraid
to wear their jewels
''This, no doubt, is the reason why great
diamond merchants positively decline to
give their opinion and information as to
which of the social leaders OF Gotham own
the most magnificent parures oil Jewels
They even refuse to describe any of the
great stones they have sold to well-known
people here, or to express any opinion as
to the relative value of the collections OF
the Astors, the Stevenses, the Rhineland-
ers, the Vanderbilts, the GOeetS the
Goulds, etc. There is more than CONNER
cial prudence in this for the stone OF Col
cOnda has always been the fruitful inspirer
of deeds OF darkness; the great gems of
the world have changed owners as often
bv crime as otherwise, and, until Ameri-
cans entered the diamond mart
The history OF diamonds is a rec
ord of crimes, and should they all disap-
pear some fine night forever from the
world it would probably be found that the
bloOdshed they had caused had turned
them into rubies But that would be so
much the better, perhaps. for their own
ers, for Just now the ruby is the royal gem
in rarity, cost and the appreciation OF con-
noisseurs-
The largest perfect diamond in the
world" said Mr. Cook, sis the imperial,
recently at the Paris exposition. IL was
so named by the Prince of Wales. 1t is
owned by a syndicate, who have offered
it for sale at e200,000-one million OF dol
lars 1t is still the property of the syndi-
cate. Two years ago in London the syn
dictate offered the stone to me in the rough
at that figure, and wanted me to bring it
over to New York and try to sell il on
large commission. But / didn't think of
any New Yorker who wanted to pay a
million dollars for a stonel
THAT was and is the greatest price,
commercially speaking, that any diamond
ever was offered for, so far as | know.
That great gem is an African stone, of
course, South Africa is at present the
, worlds diamond supply depot, as Col
conda was in the DAYS when the Kohinoor
and other great Indian gems drew the
worlds ewes eastward. An occasional
diamond is still found in Brazil, but the
product OF that country is not now suffi-
cent to make it regular factor in the
market
The Imperial is now cut, and weighs
$50 carats, the greatest known weight of
any cut stone in the world. 1t was cut
either in London or Amsterdam forget
which-and is unexceptionable in color
and brilliancy."
Now, there is the very best authority
for saying that most of the stories about
the prudential habit great diamond own
ers have OF wearing paste fac-similes for
fear Of robbery and perhaps murder are
stories told for effect entirely. New York
women own and wear as fine diamonds as
you may see anywhere in the world ex-
cept at the most magnificent courts. New
York women put on these gems with per-
feet freedom when preparing for great
social functions Some of them on occa-
sions have body guards in the persons Of
plain-clothes men. Some have not.
princes ransOms" roll around this town
-, ~. ~ h..
son. "The diamond is the essense of prop
erty-and ornament; it is riches con-
densed."
Which of the New Worlds millionaires
will buy the Imperial and shine with It at
any court in the Old World, and 90 down
by its means TO posterity as the owner OF
the million-6ollar diamond?
Think of one bit of crystal small enough
70 be shut from view in the hollow of the
hand, vet good for 100000. Certainly
a small fortune, even in these DAYS, in
any great city of the world? There's ex-
change for you, and portable property with
a vengeance.
Mrs. Hicks-LOrd has diamond buttons
for many of those feminine garments
which the fair sex still insist on wearing
buttoned. 1t is said, to inspire curious re-
Election on the possibilities OF human mag
tened with gems that glisten and glow in
the gas light as if each would say, IL have
a song to sing oh" Mrs. Hicks-Lord has
a necklace of brilliants on which the mild
valuation of 100000 is put by experts.
She also has lacepins and bracelets and
brooches, making a sum total of diamonds
really remarkable.
For New York women, the experts say,
in their tiaras, necklaces, laces and ear
drops, show an exquisite taste, even those
OF them who are not wealthy - what
woman would not like to be wealthy when
diamonds are on the cloth ?-select their
ornaments for their purity and perfection
rather than their size and showiness. 1t
Is no doubt for that reason that there are
nowhere in the world so many small col
lections, or individual gems, of lustre and
beauty, but of no Overpowering size or
value as IN New York.
Mrs. Paran Stevens's necklace brooch
and rings are diamonds worth talking
about and are quoted as representing an
enormous cash valuation. When Mrs.
Stevens arrays herself in all her glory of
brilliants she is simply dazzling. She
never wears her gems when she goes rent
collecting. however. 1t is safest to fight
shy of women who wear diamonds by day.
light.
Mrs. John W. Mackay has lived near
the great European diamond markets so