The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-01-16
HOW WOMEN BUY DIAMONDS
Prominent Jeweler Refuses to Place q
Torfoa ~ an

l ~
die aged woman, richly caparisoned in
founce 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 brilliant. With entire cool
ness of demeanor she said: 81 lost the
mate to this. VIII you be kind enough
10 tell me what it will cost to get an
other exactly like it?"
The jeweler eyed her keenly and then
said: Madame, where did you lose
your earring?"
The effect of this simple question
upon the woman was surprising. She
was evidently unprepared for the
| query, and there was certainly some
thing in it that disturbed her. 1T
makes no difference where / lost it,
she answered in decidedly sharp tone.
"What will it cost me to obtain another
exactly like this?" and she held up the
| sparkling stone.
''Did YOU advertise for the one you
lost, madame?" persisted the jeweler
,blandly.
What has that got to do with the
tmatter?" she replied in an angry tone.
"Well, madame" was the smiling re-
ply, aif you advertise for the earring
which you lost you might recover 1T,
and then you would not be placed I'M
der the necessity of ascertaining what
it would cost to replace it. Advertise
first, madame, and if you do not re-
cover the jewel come in again and viii
answer your questions" Saying this
the diamond dealer politely bowed tho
now fretting and Tuning woman TO the
door.
''Why will women lie in such small
affairs" said the jeweler, YEARLY, "and
why will nearly every purchaser of a
diamond look upon the merchant with
" HON he or she deals as rascal? That
woman hasn't lost an earring. She has
purchased pair, perhaps, on trial,
and She viii go to nearly every jeweler
in town with that pretty lie and en-
deavor to get a price upon that stone.
It is onesof the finest of diamonds and
evidently came from one of our lead
ing dealers, whom she insists on be-
lieting is engaged IN a scheme to rob
her. The chances are that she will
eventually get in the hands of some I'M
scFppuloi3s merchant, whom she can
find even 10 big stores. He will tell her
that the stone is 'off-colored and con-
tains flaw He will show her poor
diamond of the same size as the other,
and fix upon it a price which he knows
Us less than the fine brilliant could be
sold for. The result will be that
madame 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 impossible to detect the
fraudulent character of the stories
brought us. They are all very ingenius.
AS a result big houses, except in ra'-c
eases, refuse to place prices upon jew
els brought to them
The jeweler continued: People have
the queerest notions about diamonds
end other Jewels. and some of them
give US much trouble. The most gen
eral delusion is that diamonds have
standard value just as arbitrarily fixed
as that of double eagle. You will fire.
quently hear people say: 1T is an ex-
cellent investment TO place your money
In fine diamonds, for they are worth
Just so much carat, and you can al
ways sell them for just what you psid
for them Ny lady buys handsome
ibrooch for S7O0, and after wearing it
year or two endeavors to sell it to her
5eweler, or. perhaps, to his rival. She
Us offered $500 for ii. She then throws
up her hands and lifts up her voice,
and protests that she has been swim
died. What nonsense it all is! With
diamonds as with other merchandise
Ia stone is worth exactly what it will
bring. We're it otherwise there could
be no profit in diamond dealing. How
could make money in selling double
eagles when 1 would have TO pay $50
for them, and could not sell them for
a penny more?
Here is very fine Indian brilliant
upon my finger. bought it at q forced
sale and paid nearly $500 for it. Yes
i NdS Sl,OUU
7 would not sell because 1 am in love
with the stone. Yet I cannot say that
the stone is worth 1900. 1t was worth
il at the time that sum was offered for
it by one who wanted it, but if l were
compelled to sell it next week at "a
hours notice might not get 5000 for
IL Why should a woman expect 10
wear brooch for two years and then
obtain for il the same money she paid
for it? Last week bought a new car
riage and paid $500 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, 1 said.
There Is a carriage that cost me ST.
500. We viii drive in it through the
park. Tomorrow 1 will not be able t.
obtain $1,000 for it" With iewelrv II
i much the same Philadelphia
Times.
SANITY Bot Practical
L met not long ago in a mission church