The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-02-25

NTH no other furniture than table and
a bie safe. are to be found two gentlemen,
I'm Germans, who have a wonderful
fund of information on what is always an
interesting topic-precious stones. One
of these two gentlemen is anative of Idar,
Germany. and son of one of the most dis
tineuished German lapidaries in all
Furone. The father has a worldwide
ronutation as cutter Of diamonds, and
his son is almost equally skilled in the
lapidary's art.
The other occupant of this little room
is A gentleman who keeps thoroughly
in touch with the diamond market,
whose chief characteristic seems to
he sublime confidence in human
nature. which he shows by scatter
inc diamonds and rubieS around for The
insDection of strangers without the least
apprehension of their loss. The trade IN
diamonds and other precious stones is just
now at a standstill in the United States.
As the merchant says with an air of dis
gust. 1--WE don't sell enough stones now
n nav the rent" This is Of course due to
the hard times, and yet prices do not
come down. Diamonds have a standard
value which is not affected by anything
but the law Of supply and demand.
A representative of the Herald, who
went the other day to get some informa-
ton about diamonds and the diamond
market was informed that, while the sup
nly of diamonds was greater now than
ever before, there was never a time
when precious stones were so univers-
allv owned and priced. Said the eX-
per.: The Kimberly diamond fields in
South Africa have thrown upon the
world enormous amount Of good stones,
but the world has absorbed them as
rapidy as they have been produced, nor
has the price diminished in any appreci-
able degree, although IL is stated to the
contrary. A good stone is always worth
its full oldtime value. OF course, stones
of an inferior quality, or with imperfec-
tons, which may have, will only bring
what would be purchasers choose to pay,
but perfect white stone of pure brilli-
ancy has its fixed value. like $40 gold
piece
The merchant went to his safe, took
out two stones. each about two caratS in
weight He laid them side by side on a
piece of black velvet, and asked his visi-
tor to state what he thought was the re-
spectiye value of the two. To the mex
perienced eye there was not the slightest
difference in the appearance of the two
purity; they were of the same size, and
we're both free from flaws or other imper-
fections. The Herald man said he did
not believe there was any ma terial differ
encc in the value of the two.
That shows what some newspaper men
know about diamonds was the reply.
Zone of these stones is worth $500 a carat
the other is worth about $40 a carat. That
is to say, one stone is worth about $500,
and the other about $40" And then
with pair of nippers he picked UP the
$500 stone and showed wherein its value
lay. 1t was absolutely as pure as asdrop
of water, and in the light of day had the
faintest blue tinge-just perceptible
Then he turned on an incandescent light
aud held the stone in its glare 1t shone
like little ball of fire The other stone
submitted to the same test appeared like
an everyday diamond, such as are worn
by aldermen, bookmakers and saloon
keepers.
There are very few diamonds in
America like that | first showed YOU: in
fact, there are not so very many in the
world. That stone never came from
South Africa That is an East India
diamond or from Brazil
WORN BY MARIE ANToINETTE.
Now, let me show you something
4uS E0uoIeLudu went 10 Inc safe, pulled
OUT roll OF cotton batting, slowly I'M
wound II and spread out before the visit
ors gaze a ieweled girlle said to have
been worn by Marie AntOinette, and GER
fanny known to have been in the posses
SION OF the Empress Eugene, for the belt
was purchased at the sale held few wears
ago OF the crown jewels of France. The belt
contains four double buckles. connected
oy a INK, one large stomacher buckle and
TWO sIldeS, one with a pendant of five
INKS which IS intended to support a fan.
All OF these buckles are attached to a
HedVy leather belt, which seems like an
hcongruty, but which is not when the
treasurer IS in actual use. The leather
I 1eit IS OF course, for purposes of safety.
Nhen the wearer puts it in use. she
CUyeIs tne leather portion of the belt with
SIX OF the same color of the dress over
"nlcl II IS to be worn The merchant
sara mat the belt contained 1000 dia-
xohuS OF various sizes and values. and
DrIy hungarian opals. which are the
HueSV opaIs to be found in the world. The
oe-U was bought at the saleof the French
s6ond Jewels Tor $4,000 francs, or about
H r II IS worth great deal more
L-. U,4ey' out In order to realize upon it it
VIII probably be necessary to break the
;;5I"el up, for customers willing to put
90 oEa amount OF money in that character
IN an ornament are not very plentiful,
oDS the way continued the merchant.
ave nao young lady visitor the other
10y VINO was quite pretty and engaging,
- 49, ds she happened to have black
S Sde9S' close lifting, thought I would give
49, IUIIe surprise; so got out the belt
~ CIdspeu 1t around her waist. Then [
~" Cue curtain and turned on the cleo
a. HEnC and | thought that girl would
80 80 WIN surprise and ecstacy. She
s51 encircled in girdle of fire, and as
az tEooheu at herself in the mirror her
yves larry popped out of her head"
THE TARIFF on DIAMONDS.
How do our tariff laws affect the cost
~. GIdnonds in America2" was asked.
o,- IHey nave very little effect" was the
uloNer Under the MCKINLEY act dia-
,uouus are only subjected TO a duty of 10
r. Ceut' mat is not enough to effect
' price OF them on this side of the At
o 80. AS a matter of fact, and in spite
r.. "iuely-tormed opinion to the CON
a. s,1 II. y, diamonds in the United States are
,leap' II not cheaper, than they are in
d. olo; IN TACT, there are houses in Lon
,,l, ~ u Iarls at which a person will pay
n ueaI more for a frst-class stone
TorI- nc would at-saY Tiffany's, in New
So Our people are beginning to under
disrcIot.in!aI lact, and hence there is little
o9.Vloh TO buy abroad in the hope of
mn ing w the revenue. know gentle
e.e,., - Cnlcago who goes to Europe nearly
no-Si year. lie buys great many dia-
m,-. ana other precious stones, and
~ "Iee-Iourths of them in this coun-
IVA u0n I know how it will be If the