The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-08-02
ABOUT DIAMOND CUTTING
AN INDUSTRY OF RECENT GROWTH
IN THE UNITED STATES.
A Majority of the Stone Come from
n Kimberley notwithstanding
Process of Preparation.
New York Times.

ness has grown up in and around New
York. This is the business Of diamond cut-
ting, and now, it is said, practically all the
diamonds Of any size sold in the country
and which reach it through legitimate
channels. are cut here. The tariff On cut
stones previous to the passage of the bill
was 10 per cent. and uncut stones were not
dutiable. The tariff is now Is per cent. on
cut stones and 10 per cent. on uncut stones.
This duty on the cut stones Is high enough
to protect the cutter and too high to make
it profitable to export the stones from the
other side-from Amsterdam and Antwerp,
where the greater part of the work has
heretofore been done.
An establishment, said to be the largest
in this country. is in Brooklyn. A reporter
for the Times visited ii the other day. AT
first thought 1T would seem that an estab-
lishment where the most precious of
stones are turned out in perfect condition
would be q clean, dainty place; also. per-
haps, that where thousands OF dollars
worth Of valuable and easily portable
goods are constantly around. there might
be a guard and perhaps something In the
nature OF prison bars. But 1t is not so. A
diamond factory to the casual observer is
exactly like any other factory, with its
machinery, smut and CRIME. The Brooklyn
factory occupies one floor. There is an en-
trance to it directly from the hall and
through the office. The office is a small,
pleasant room. Both the door to the hall
and the one to the workroom have a small
opening where those inside may speak to
workmen or to strange visitors without ad-
hitting them. 1t is the one slight differ
ence between this and an ordinary Office.
O--.- fz- y, - t. -o,ft ca<oc
within safes-and made doubly secure
with the most modern protective arrange
ments against burglars.
In the office you see the stones in their
rough state. one and two carat stones, and
stores of all sizes taken in neat little white
paper packages from a fine, soft, silk-lined
leather case. There are yellow stones in
the first and most delicate shade of that
color as big as large peas, looking to
the inexperienced eye no more valuable
than Jumps of gum arabic. The polishing
makes a wonderful difference in the color,
and a stone which looks very yellow in the
rough appears almost white to inexperi-
enced eyes when ready for the market.
Each little package OF stones is assorted
as TO size and purity and color. And the
color and sizes vary wonderfully.
There are sixty different shades" ex-
claimed a diamond broker, speaking Of the
yellow stones in the first shade Of yellow
"Sixty?"Asaid the manufacturer. There
are 10
BEGINNING THE WORK.
In the office the first part Of the work is
done-the clearing. This is only where the
stone contains imperfections or is badly
shaped and must be clipped to prepare it
for the cutter. The process is apparently
simple, but 1t is a very important part of
the work. 1t is done with two little wooden
sticks turned smooth and round to make
them easy to handle and a steel cleaver.
AT the end of each stick is a peculiar kind
of cement. Into one OF these cement ends.
softened In a gas jet, is placed the diamond
TO be treated. and the cement while hot
worked up close around it with the fingers,
leaving exposed the part to be removed.
In the cement at the end OF the other stick
is placed a silver of diamond, the result of
a previous cutting, and then the work is
begun.
The stick containing the larger stone is
placed is a small wise over a small box with
a sievelike bottom TO catch the diamond
dust. Then the worker, with much
strength and skill, makes a slight fncision
in the large stone. places the cleaver In it,
is severed. leaving beautifully clean,
smooth sides to both pieces of the stone.
But it must always be done with the
you will crush it into fragments"
People have an idea" said the broker,
that the diamonds cannot be broken. but
ii is very easily done"
The stone next goes to the factory prop
er. to the cutter. The cutting is done by
mana anu Dv DldCliHcIs IL ihdNliuCiy
is preferable, the manufacturer says, ex-
cept where the stones are small. They can
be better manipulated by hand. Machine
cutting is comparatively new, having been
used only during the last two or three
years. The hand workman has one OF the
small boxes with the sieve bottoms. The
box is perhaps not more than six or eight
inches long. four or five wide. and as many
high. At the center Of either side is a little
iron piece. rising ar inch from the top.
same time, each held firmly in the cement
ed ends Of the wooden handles 1t is dia-
mond cut diamond here, the manufactures
saws. With a purchase obtained by resting
the handles against the raised irons, the
workman rubs the stones, one against the
other. the process covering each with a
dull. dark dust. which gives them very lit
tie the appearance of precious stones.
The machine cutting is done by, placing
the one stone in the drop, or small copper
idly revolving machine. This the operator
manipulates with q second stone In one
of the wooden handles. When the cutter
has the stone very nearly. in the proper
shape, 1t is sent TO the polisher, who puts
eight facets on the top and eight on the
bottom. II goes back again TO the cutter,
and is made perfectly round. and the pol
Usher finishes 1t. making sixty-two facets
on each stone. OF the seventy men In a
teen horse power is required to run the
machinery. A separate small belt runs TO
the bench of each polisher 70 operate his
pra c,rc aneIe pperhhaps a foot in diameter.
and are set into the bench SO that they
are just even with the top: They make
500 revolutions a minute Tne .ponShers
are assisted by Settlers, who set the stones
into the metal doups or cups TITLED with a
mixture of lead and tn, melted In the
gas Jets. 1t is hot work, and the fore
finger of the setter Is cracked and burned
with constant use, pressing. the mixture
up around the diamond. Each perfect dia-
mond has to go in and out OF the doups
twenty-siX times.
WORK OF THE POLISHER.
The polisher takes the diamond in the
doup from the setter, and fastens it into
what is called a tongue. an arm that holds
il securely with the diamond held face
dow on the rapidly revolving plate. That
part of the stone exposed in its metal set
ting has first been rubbed over with a
mixture of oil and diamond dust that has
been saved by the cleaver and cutters. This
dust and the friction of the plate make the
perfect little facets to be seen in the nm
ished stones. A man will complete gen.
orally six stones OF one or TWO carat
weight a week.
The apparent carelessness with which the
men toss a large diamond back ana Iorth
across a table is interesting 10 a Visltor-
The polisher, as he takes a stone from the
plate. wipes ii on the elbow OF his griny
Jumper TO see how the work OF polishing
is progressing.
The men are paid by their work, so much
a carat, and there are fast men and SLOW
men, and the wages vary ACCORDING 10
speed and skill. Every stone is diHerent;
and the entire work requires a continual
exercise OF Judgment. II is skilled LABOR,
done by intelligent men.
1T takes three years for a man to learn
the business" says the manufacturer, and