The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-10-07
pocToR1Na DIAMONDS.
The Glass Manufacturer Has Learned
to Make a Good Imitation.


Prom the Literary Digest.
The value of diamonds and other gems
depending mainly upon their bulk ,sthe CT
forts of the falsifers have been chiefly
directed TO increasing the proportions
The principal mode of so doing is known
as doubling" or doubleting. 1t consists
in Joining together with cement portion
OF a real stone and an imitation, so as 10
make the combination appear one ana in
diVisible. This can be done so deftly that
the initiated are sometimes deceived. as
the case referred to above goes TO show.
So long as q combination of this kind re-
mains unset, the expert discovers 10 usu-
ally bY a close examination Of the edges;
when it is mounted in ring, bracelet or
other setting, recognition is practically
impossible.
1T is 10 guard against, receptions of
this kind that jewellers au0 dealers IN
precious stones decline TO buy gems in
their settings, says the Pail Mall Gazette.
When the gem is unset 1t can easily De
subjected TO a ready and infallible Jest.
A stone about which there may be
suspicion is dropped into dish Of very
hot water; better, still, if properly
heated in spirit-lamp flame. IT 1t is
'dOublet' the cement quickly dIssolVes,
and the component parts fail asundeE-
real diamond finds no place. In colored
stones the top Of an imitation emerald
may be a red garnet, or white piece OF
quar-, the back of glass SO green as TO
change the color Of the upper layer.
The art Of glass manufacturer
has made many advances IN re-
cent years, and experience has
taught those who make it their pusi-
ness to fabricate spurious gems that let
ter result and a closer imitation of the
genuine article can be obtained by joining
two pieces Of glass ofdiverse shades 1t
is managed in this way: The top portion
OF the false brilliant is made from glass
in which there is pale yellow straw
cOlOred tinge. In the under side OF this az
socket is drilled into this socket is fitted
a stem of glass of light blush shade, the
result Of the combination being that the
false stone CLEANS and sparkles like
jem of the purest water fhe best lmltt--
ton, of this description are 50 effective
that when well mounted they deceive all
but the best Judges.
"All purchases are tested By this scale
and their quality as ertained. a .spe-
cially constructed polariscope and Idlcro-
scope Is used to distinguish cOlors IN
stones. 1t has been stated that diamonds
are seldom bought by the trade after they
are mounted. They are generally taken
out of the setting for Inspection. This is
luOLG especially bub case VI buG SLOlGS arc
so mounted that the under portion is hid
den. One of the Oldest tricks of the trade
is to so color the bed in which the stone
rests as to change the hue of the gem.
For instance. u ruby will glow with .
deeper and more intense fire if the bottom
and sides Of the setting wherein lis fixed
be colored red. The shade Of u stone can
be altered or q flaw concealed by the skill
full use of colors in this way. Naturally
this device does not deceive the inflated,
A perfect stone is Invariably mounted
a jour- or SO that every part of it is Wis
ible.
',The discovery Of diamonds in South
Africa led Indirectly TO some clever de-
ceit by the dealers. Many of the South
African diamonds have a straw tint
which has an unfayorable effect on thei'
price, especially as experts believe T.
it will become more decided the LONG
the stones are exposed to the air Some o.
the more knowing dealers discovered
| that by subjecting the straw-tinted dla-
| monds to bath in certain acids the OBJ
| jectionable color was removed and the
| gems became pure white \ number OF
| diamonds so treated were sold in Paris
| aud Berlin and brought higher.
| prices than they would If they
| had retained their original
| color. After exposure TO the action of
| the air for certain time the original
color returns, put by bhaI tlne tney nave
| passed out of the dealers hands. The
! fraud was soon found out by the trade,
! and they now guard against imposition of
| such character by means of various
tests. OF these the most generally used
are the hot-water bath and friction. If a
| dyed stone be left in hot water for few
minutes it resumes its original hue; or if
the gem be rubbed sharply on towel or
even on coat-sleeve its normal color can
be detected. These tests are simple aud
| efticacious, and are in daily usen