The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-06-22
DoCTORING DIAMONDS.


The practice of classifying precious
stones, especially diamonds, in order to
| make them appear to the inexpert more
valuable, is not by any means modern.
1t can be traced back To the fifteenth
century, and 20 Holland, where dia-
mond cutting and setting had its rise
as an art. With the growth of the
trade in diamonds aid other precious
stones, various illegitimate means were
devised of imposing upon the purchas-
ing public, and q lhancing the apparent
value of gems otrered for sale Some Of
these practices date back hundreds of
years; others belong to a modern period,
and are almost coincident with COM
paratively recent discoveries in cheIai-
cal science
BY dealers and the trade generally
diamonds are separated into various
classes, and known by special names.
These.terms relate mainly to the method
in which gem is cut. Diamonds cut
to point, with more or less facets. are
| called brilliants; those presenting q
fat surface are known as table stones.
The term brilliant is properly applied
| only to stone cut in a certain form;
but IN the practice of the trade it is
given also to colorless sapphires, rubies,
emera1ds, Oriental topazes, and a few
other gems. All such stones, whether
quite colorless, or with greeni5h, yell
lowish, or blush tint, are of nearly
equal value, provided they reach a
given standard of hardness. In the
| trade diamonds from India, Brazil, or
Africa are generally classed together.
The name Oriental diamond" does not
denote that the stone is of eastern
origin, but that it is of superior quality.
Gems spoken of as ''Rio" diamonds may
or may not have been mined in the
Brazils, the name only signifying that
they are of second quality; while Cape
brilliants" include all less valuable
stones. Formerly spurious diamonds
were mostly formed from rock crystals.
Many of the so-callsd diamonds found
in antique snuffboxes, watches, and
miniature frames are in reality rock
crystal limitations of real gems.
The value of diamonds and other
gems depending mainly upon their
chiefly directed to increasing the pro-
portions. The principal mode of so do
ing is known as doubling" 1t was in
use in the seventeenth century, and a
case lately before the law courts in re-
ference to a so-called ruby shows that
it is still fiourishing. 1t consists in
joining together with cement portion
of a real stone and an imitation SO as to
make the com bination appear one and
indivisible. This can be done so deity
that the initiated are sometimes de-
ceived, as the case referred to above
goes to show. So long as combina-
ton of this kind remains unset the ex-
pert discovers it usually by close ex-
animation of the edges; when it is
mounted in a ring bracelet, or other
setting recognition is practically inn
possible. This is the most common
form of deceit in the, jewel trade. II
some of the jewels priced by noble and
princely houses were taken to pieces
and carefully examined by an expert
the result might astonish the owners.
Some surprising discoveries of this
kind have been made when family
jewels were being renounted.
1t is to guard against receptions of
this kind that jewellers and dealers in
precious stones decline to buy gems in
their settings. When the gem Is unset
It can easily be subjected to ready and
infsllible test stone about which
there may be suspicion is dropped into
: dish of very hot water. If IL is a
'doublet' the cement quickly dissolves,
and the component parts fall asunder.
But ''doublets are always made in
which the real diamond finds 10 place
The art Of glass manufacture has made
many advances IN recent years. and ex-
pc-ience has taught those who make il
their business TO fabricate spurious
gems that better result and closer
imitation OF the genuine article can Dc
obtained by joining two pieces 81 glass
Of diverse shades 1t is managed in
this way: The top portion Of the false
brilliant Is made from glass in which
there Is pale yellow or straw-colored
tinge. In the under side Of this g
socket Is drilled; into this soekzs: is
fitted d stem Of glass OF a light blush
shsde. the result Of the com bination be-
ing that the false stone CLEANS and
spaTkles like gem Of the purest water.
The best limitations OF this description
are 80 effective that when weIl-rneunted
they deceive AL but the finest judges
Among the tests used By dealers and
Jewellers 10 ascertain not only the real
liz but the quality Of diamonds offered
for sale Is that Of resistance ~ hard
ness Pew professionals are without =
zse ot proved diamonds. graded &C
7g-Ging 20 their degree - hardness All
purchases are tested by this scale. and
their quality a@certsSned- A specially
-onstructed microscope IL used 20 dis
sinZns>h ooiors II stoaes IL has been
stated that diamonds are lGozn bozgh;
b. the trade after ihey are mounted
They are generally taken 0at % TIE
setting for inspection This Il more
specially the case II IKE Ssones zre %
n0zn;es that the under po-tioz - hid
iea- One u tss Oldest trsesl< ~ The
trade Il % 50 color The hS1 II wAAch the
stone rests - - change the hoe of tlse
gem Fo< Instance. rusr vii xssN
with q deeper srd mere intense Ere e +
ne hstsozz and ss3es ~ The setting
wherein 4 il Gxes o. colo-rc I'D The
shsde u ssOne can IL altered CT azw
sozeez-ec b TIC skI-l.z. zze II e1-ozs