St. Paul daily globe., 1895-12-27
HOW WOMEN BUY DIAMONDS.
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JeWeIcr REFUSES to Place

Sesa Price on a Gem:
Philadelphia Times
To the private office of a prominent
jeweler yesterday entered a middle
aged woman, richly caparisoned III
flounce and furbelow, and evidently
forming part of the dough that makes
the upper crust. She held in one hand
| diamond earring. The jewel was
large and brilliant. With entire cool
ness of demeanor she said 81 lost the
mate to this. Will you be kind enough
to tell me what it will cost to get an
other exactly like it?"
The jeweler eyed her keenly and then
said Madam, where did you lose your
earring?"
The effect Of this simple question up
on the woman was surprising. She was
evidently unprepared for the query, and
there was certainly something in 1t
that disturbed her. "It makes no diff
ference where 1 lost it," she answered
in decidedly sharp tone. What will
it cost me to obtain another exactly
like this?" and she held up the spark
ling stone.
Did you advertise for the one you
IoSt, Ildudfl pefSlSleu lue JeWSlei
blandly.
What has that got to do with the
matter?" she replied in an angry tone.
well, madam" was the smiling re-
ply, "if you advertise for the earring
which you lost you might recover it,
and then you would not be placed un-
der the necessity of ascertaining what
it would cost to replace it. Advertise
first, madam, and if you do not recover
the Jewel come in again and 1 will an
sWer your questions" Saying this the
diamond dealer politely bowed the now
fretting and fuming woman to the door.
why will women lie in such small
affairs" said the jeweler wearily, land
why will nearly every purchaser of q
diamond look upon the merchant with
whom he or she deals as a rascal?
That woman hasn't lost an earring. She
has purchased pair, perhaps, on trial,
and she will go to nearly every jeweler
in town with that petty lie and endeav-
or to get price upon that stone. 1t is
one Of the finest Of diamonds and evil
IDENTIFY came from one of our leading
dealers, whom she insists on believing
is engaged in a scheme to rob her. The
chances are that she will eventually
get in the hands Of some INSCRIPTIONS
merchant, whom she can find even in
big stores. He will tell her that the
stone is 'off-colored' and contains a
flaw. He will show her poor diamond
of the same size as the other, and fix
upon it a price which he knows is less
than the fine brilliant could be sold for
The result will be that madam will send
her fine brilliant back in rage and
buy the inferior stone for twice what
it is worth. This evil has grown to
such an extent that it is sometimes i'm
possible to detect the fraudulent char
acter of the stories brought us. They
are all very ingenious. AS result, big
houses, except in rare cases, refuse to
place prices upon jewels brought to
them"
The jeweler continued: people have
the queerest notions about diamonds
and other jewels, and some of them
give us much trouble. The most gem
eral delusion is that diamonds have a
standard value just as arbitrarily fixed
as that of a double eagle. You will fire.
quently hear people say It is an ex-
cellent investment to place your money
in fine diamonds, for they are worth
just so much a carat, and you can al
ways sell them for just what you paid
for them My lady buys a handsome
brooch for 500, and after wearing it a
year or two endeavors to sell it to her
jeweler, or, perhaps, to his rival. She
is offered 5000 for it. She then throws
UP her hands and lifts up her voice.
and protests that she has been swim
died. What nonsense is all this! With
diamonds as with other merchandise a
stoneNis worth exactly what it will
bring. Were it otherwise there could
be no profit in diamond dealing How
could I make money in selling double
eagles when I would have to pay $40
for them. and could not sell them for a
penny more?
Here is very fine Indian brilliant
upon my finger. I bought it at forced
sale and paid nearly $500 for it. Yester-
day I was offered $1,000 for it, but I
would not sell because I am in love
with the stone. Yet I canot say that
the stone is worth $780, 1t was worth
it at the time that sum was offered for
it by one who wanted 1T, but if I were
compelled to sell it next week at twen-
ty-four hours notice I might not get
$500 for it. Why should a. woman ex-
pect to wear a brooch for two years
and then obtain for it the same money
she paid for it? Last week I bought a
new carriage and paid S1,SOO for it. I
said to a friend, Come and take an
$500 drive with me- He looked at me
as If he thought me insane. I mean it,
I said. There is a carriage that cost
me $1,000. We will drive in it through
the park. Tomorrow will not be able
to obtain $1,000 for it, With jewelry it
is much the sama wa1,o.