The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-04-26
vPPICA LEADING NOW.
.-,.ANsIN JEWELS AND GOLDEN
TRiNKETS.

I
Cutting and Engraving Gems
by New Processes
from the Chicago Daily Netrs,
7,.-ro,ogically your poet is a maker,
ling a wise or knowing man. Judged
-. 49,. .tsndard, the metal worker is emit
- :, rank with both. For certainly he
-. ooeus Of use and beauty beyond even
| - e.s imagination, and 10 DO it be must
/ Lo9wledge end wisdom to match the
..,,r statecraft Of king.
Cd Americans ought to be glad to
-ar that American artisans are at the top
/ +bs splendid handicraft.
1vbether for art or workmanship, our
ding makers stand first among equals-a
4 land shoulders above all but the first.
80 SrI il is a pleasing end patriotic duty to
Ele-n something of their methods.
ALADDIN's WORKSHOP.
Take. for example, Tiffany's establish
-srt Steam carries you up to the light
orv. YOU pass screen door and are in
&.glrld that could give Aladdin points and
S,.e the genius of the lamp 60 out of bust
rs in disgust with himself.
wen out. Each workman has a metal
- marked with his name. Into it he puts
allotment of work-gold, gems, what
n Nothing else goes into it upon pain Of
s.missal Thus, in all the hundreds of
|1sn there is no chance of mlslaying or
[O1tusioD.
Al night all the boxes are stored in the
H. safe, along with the stock of bar gold,
II ii bricks, cut and uncut Jewels.
The gold itself does not lCok very precious
In the bar it is dull, reddish yellow; in the
Erjck it shows a surface almost black. First
n goes to the rolls, where the bars are
Em1ded, flattened or given whatever shape
4 needed by passing through grooves of
Esrving forms. Other rolls turn it into
kteets of different thicknesses. Just be-
Fond them is an ingenious arrangement Of
wheels aud pulleys and plates for drawing
out the rods to wire of any fineness.
More interesting is the pile of dies, each
daintilv followed in a cube of very hard
metal. Next comes a blow-pipe furnace,
upon whose pumice stone bed the gold is
tempered according to use-hardened,
made mAlleable or brittle. Solder
ing Is done there, too.
Even as we look skilled workman holds
in the flame, on a nest of copper wire, a
seal ring whose setting is wired to the rim.
Hard solder alone is used. Indeed, hard
solder and hand work are part of religion
here To them more than anything else are
due the excellent good things that go out to
ornament, not decisive, the world.
The furnace is fixed about waist high,
with q circular hearth all around, divided
into four. Each quarter is used separately.
AS the ring is growing solid under the hot
white flames at one side, at the other three
incres of gold bar is annealing by slow cool
j upon the mass of red-hot stone.
AMONG THE GEN CUTTERS.
Over beyond the gem cutters sit in a row.
each with small lap-stone revolving hori-
z0ntally before him. The stone to be cut is
set in solder, so that only space enough for
one facet can touch the whirling stone. 1t is
then made fast to small handle and held
against the swiftly revolving surface until
the cutting is accomplished. For some gems
q wet grindstoue suffices. Others require
emery in addition. For the hardest and
most precious-such as ruby or sapphire
diamond dust is necessary.
Each facet requires a change of position,
hence the cutting is a work of time and at
entlon as we'll as most exquisite skill. Be-
ore it begins the stone is most carefully
Ooked over for possible flaws, its weight,
Idp6 anu AubCeE lbhon lIlJO dCCOuuU anu Ll6
orm selected that will display all to the
)eSt advantage. A pattern is then made
lpon paper showing angles and facets, and
o this complexion must it come at last or
be workman will know the reason why.
Everybody has heard the saying about
diamond cut diamond" Nearly everybody
,nows that it is literally trUe-that each Bit
# frozen fire, whether mountain of light
r the tiniest brilliant that bedews a flower
pray, is shaped and polished by friction
gainst fellow. The cutters sit apart from
ii the rest, surrounded and separated by
walls of glass. Thus they get light from all
ides, but escape draughts- something to be
,uGrded against when diamond dust fetches
40 to the ounce.
The rough diamond is looked over even
more carefully than other gems. Some
ines it is dipped in oil to find a possible
law. If the shape is very irregular frag-
nents are Clipped OFF with a chisel and
lght mallet. A stcne of good size with a
eriOus detect in the middle is sometimes
left or sawed into two gems.
HOW DIAMONDS ARE SHAPED.
Standard shapes are the rose, the table
md the brilliant. The last is incomparably
10 best and is chosen whenever the native
Orm does not utterly forbid.
Amsterdam was for long time the center
f diamond cutting. Now American lapi-
aries beat the Dutch'' 'as daylight doth a
amp" Though the industry has unqueS-
ionably foreign root, it has sprung into
lsty strength quite beftting our wide con-
iuent.
1t is the same everywhere. The very best
york brought over the sea loses in contrast
With the finest made on American soil from
american designs. Time was when a pat.
ern to be we'll thought of had to have a
oreign tag. Now we export ideas as well
5 bullion.
Each workman has his bench, with table
front, and is absolute master of it. No
'ody may touch. hardly look at it, save by
is leave. Walk along the line, use your
yes diligently and you will see wonders.
vote that star of loose diamonds laid, true
S die, upon a smooth iron plate. They
re placed exactly in order for setting. A
ouch might send them all awry and make
10 end of mischief. At the next bench a
i'm of pearls lie about a big ruby, true
'pgeon-blood" red and more valuable than
diamond of the same weight.
Over these skillful fingers are tracings on
hat sheet of gold outlines for one of the
lamond suns that blaze on beauty's breast.
.Lght lines cross at exact right angles.
With rule and graver he is marking out the
lxteen points. When he is done the figure
VIII be sawed out; the solid surface fairly
oneycombed with holes of varying size.
INTO each hole is placed diamond, so close
nat the gold foundation is entirely hide n
All fiat pins, pendants, brooches, ear
lngs are made IN somewhat the same
ashton. Rimlet brooches are forged first,
haSed around the edges, then have holes
,rilled for the setting, with a tiny, wicked
cooking point that eats gold as readily as
be barnacla eats wood. 1t is about the