Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1893-03-28
DIAMOND CUTTERS.
WOMEN ARE EMPLOYED IN ONE OF
THE LARGEST HOUSES.

The Difficult and Delicate Task OF "e'
ting Jewels from Rough Stones-seiect-
ing and Dividing the Jewels he'"r0
They Reach the workroom.
Not all diamonds used in this part OF
Europe are cut in Paris or in Amster
dam; but in Geneva, close by the tsuai
de la Poste, there is the 'Tailere de Dia-
mants" of the Dupuis Bros Not only
that. but most of the diamond cut
ters here are young women, tres In
telligente," and most attractive. Ihey
receive, too, for work OF the same
kind as that done by men the same rate
of compensation, and many OF them
earn, though their hours are not long
from ten to fifteen dollars a week The
establishment of Dupuis Freres is in a
handsome granite building, just at the
head Of the Coulouvreniere. and occu
pies its second etage. The building is
triangular in form, with its private OF
fees near the apex. The first OF these
offices is coy room where the precious
stones are kept after cutting in huge
iron safe. which will be brought at your
desire.
Quarter and half and almost pound
packets OF the beautiful gems that are
like showers of dew in brilliant sunshine
as you bury your hands among them
There are all sizes. from the tiniest rose
diamond to others that are like second
kohinoors as they flash from the velvet
beds, for these larger diamonds are kept
carefully selected in cases instead OF in
the little tissue paper covered packets.
Tho variety of tint is simply wonderful
brown diamonds, green diamonds, vel
low diamonds, purest white diamonds,
and rarest Of all, the MN. Dupuis told
me, blue diamonds. Nearly opposite tE-
private office is the bookkeeping and re-
cording room and the counter at which
the elder M. Dupuis sits asserting the
gems as they come from the cutting and
IL diamond in the rough is OF such
shape that his skilled eye tells him it
could not be cut to advantage as found
he divides it into two or three parts be-
fore it is carried to the workroom.
Both the asserting and the dividing re-
quire the greatest skill and most perfect
knowledge-both intuitive and practice
gained---of the stones, which in their
crude condition resemble it seems to me
bits and pieces Of different tinted gum
arabic more than anything else. AS |
have told you. the senior member Of the
firm asserts and divides the diamonds
while the junior partner himself keeps
all books and records and apportions the
stones to their cutters. five at time to
each, marking the weight, date and all
opposite the cutters name. until they are
returned completed In this room, too
diamonds are received for repair and re-
cutting That reminds me that in cut
ting almost one-half the original weight
of the stone is lost. or, more properly
cut away, for not grain of the dust is
lost. as you will see,
The chief workroom or atelier is a
large bright, airy room. splendidly ven
tilated and exquisitely neat. In it, about
the walls that form two sides OF the tri
angle. there are sufficient number of
cutting machines for about seventy five
employees, and back of these close by
the windows are seats and benches for
the girls who place the diamonds in the
solder, beds for the machine cutting an
operation that must he completed very
deftly, for. first. there is the placing of
one solder oval in the cup of the instru
ment that receives the diamond. and
that much resembles the cup of Il 'cup
and ball" handle and all; then the other
half must receive just the right degree Of
fusion at the gas and be applied so rs to
finish the oval. 1t is in the top of this up
per part that the stone is placed while
the solder is warm enough to be nodded
back sufficiently to leave one little face
of the gem visible When ady for the
machine the entire oval little larger
than robins egg. Dipping quickly in II
dish OF water hardens the solder, and
then the cup and ball. with the stick end
up, is applied to the machine, which
does the cutting by revolving 2,400 times
minute, so rs to hold the diamond face
closely down to steel disk perhaps
foot in diameter and covered with mi
croscopic lines. on ich diamond dust
has been scattered a. is held in place
by minute particles of oil dropping from a
quill above. The dust from, ne diamond
being cInght ON this disk serves to pol
ish the next diamond So, rs you see
nothing is lost The girls to whom this
work is intrnsted must necessarily give
1t their undivided attention.
In the lower center of this room the
walls are SO constructed that Il second
triangle is formed. also with Il pleasant
outlook, AT the counters facing these
windows the actual diamond cut dia-
mond process. one of the first to which
the stones are subjected. is seen They
are Embedded in wax. and then one is
used to cut another by the most skillful
worknen 1t is this process that pro
duces the chips so much used in small
Jewelry AT the other side of this inner
triangle men are always busy repairing
and inspecting the machinery. especially
the disks, whose condition must be abso
lutely perfect
lhere Is one female operative in the
ateiier OF great natural ability and many
years OF experience whose aid ia very
Valuable, because she can instantly
Judge the weight of even the most min
ute stones handed her for inspection
Inc recompense for cutting stones up to
those OF more than medium weight is, |
believe, the same. because the amount of
care and labor required is the same
with the exception of the light whir of
the machinery this large atelier is abso
iutely quiet for there must not be even
singing here, lest it distract. though un
consciously from tho ,ttart;o,, .s...