The Wadsworth dispatch. [volume] (Wadsworth, Nev.) 1892-1899, 1896-03-21
BUYING DIAMONDS.
STORY OF HOW WOMEN CONDUCT
THE TRANSACTION.

A Jeweler Tells Why He Refused to Place
a Price on n Gem-DeaIers Stand by Each
Other In That Respect-Error Regarding
the Standard Value OF Diamonds.
To the private office of a prominent
jeweler yesterday entered a middle aged
woman, richly caparisoned in 1ounce
and furbelow, and evidently forming
part Of the dough that makes the upper
crust. She held in one hand a diamond
earring. The jewel was large and bril-
liant. With entire GOODNESS Of demeanor
she said II lost the mate to this. Will
you be kind enough to tell me what it
will cost to get another exactly like it?"
The jeweler eyed her keenly and then
said. MADAM, where did you lose your
e~arring?"
The effect Of this simple question
upon the woman was surprising. She
was evidently u%nprepared for the query,
and there was certainly something in 1t
that disturbed her. ut makes no differ
ence where l lost it," she answered in a
decidedly sharp tone. what will 1t
cost me to obtain another exactly like
this?" and she held up the sparkling
stone.
Ibid you advertise for the one you
lost. madam" persisted the jeweler
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 under
the necessity of ascertaining what 1t
would cost to replacoit it. Advertise first.
madam, and if you do not recover the
jewel come in again and l will answer
your questions. Saying this the dia-
mond dealer politely bowed the now
fretting and Tuning woman to the door.
"Why will women lie in such small
affairs, said the jeweler YEARLY, land
why will nearly every purchaser of u
diamond look upon the merchant with
whom he or she deals as IA rascal? That
woman hasn't lost an earring. She has
purchased a pair. perhaps on trial, and
she will go to nearly every jewoler in
town with that petty lie and eudeavor
to get a price upon that stone, 1t is one
of tho finest of diamonds and evidently
came from one of our leading dealers,
whom she insists on believing is engaged
in u 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 eff color
and contains a flaw. He will show her
o poor diamond Of the same size as the
other. and fix upon 1t 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 a rage and buy the inferior stone for
twice what it is worth. This evil has
grown to such an extent that it is some
times impossible to detect the fraudu-
lent character of the stories brought us.
They are all very ingenious. As a re-
suit, big houses, except in rare cases, re-
luSo W piaOo pliCoS upOu JoWolS urOuBHt
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 general delu
sion is that diamonds have a standard
value just as arbitrarily fixed as hat of
a double eagle. You will frequently hear
people say, 1T is an excellent invest
ment to place your money in fine dia-
monds, for they are worth just so much
"a carat, and you can always sell them
for inst what yen paid for them My
lady buys a handsome brooch for 500,
and after wearing it a year or two en-
deavors to sell it to her jeweler, or, per-
haps, 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 swindled. What nonsense
is all thisl With diamonds, as with 9TH
err merchandise, a stone is worth exactly
what it will bring, We're it otherwise
there could be no profit in diamond deal