The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-06-06
purple, pink, and lavender. TIL
very largo larnand for them
There was a

very large demand FOR them.
Yes those eIs found I'd i1 ns tlis do
ever saw Mas also found in the U nited
States. 1t was not large one, but was
very fine. Mexican and Hungarian opals
used to be the finest, now those from
Australia have the highest standing.
"New York is the great supply market
for this country or jewels. Yes; my
customers are outside the city as we'll as
in the city. Most OF my business Is in
the city. however.
"There are few tools required in the
business-simply magnifying glass to
examine the stones. and the weight is
marked upon them. shave my own
scales, but do not weigh and examine a
stone exhaustively. l find what l con-
slider is about right. The man who is
buying is the one upon whose Judgment
the decision must turn, and he examines
the stone as he sees fit. There ia nothing Q
about my work that isshard on the ewes,
1t is the importers who keep man for
that purpose Whom q person is examin-
ing thirty or forty stones infinitely. it
might strain the eyes.
| do l care more about possessing
stones than did before began dealing
in them? don't know that I do. l
would like to have fine ruby if could
afford q fine one. How fine? That is
difficult to say. have seen a good ons
carat ruby which could not be bought
Tor Sl50O and have seen three carat
ruby for which $4,000 was asked 1
THINK could get one that would suit
me for 81, 500. They ars of the richest
color that can be Imagined The ruby
has been the stone above all others for
years and Years. You know the Bible
says virtuous woman, her price is
above rubies.' | find my opinion of
jewels has changed greatly since I went
into the business. My mother had some
Jewels that / used to think very fne
| NOW L look at them in another light.
Pearls are the stones that dealer has
TO examine with the greatest care. They
can be- very closely initiated. They have
ruby on the market now that they
call the scientific ruby. 1t is very much
iike the real stone, but dealer can al
ways tell the difference.
:, A turquois is another stone that is
closely initiated. don't know but that
would rather have the imitation,
though perhaps should not say that.
| Ehe limitations keep their color, and the
real ones do not. There are some mines
now from which they are turning out
turquois which they will warrant The
Persian stones, which have always been
our finest ONES, could never be guaranteed
to keep their color
| think | enjoy dealing in the fancy
stones-emeralds, opals, and pearls-more
than in diamonds. do not care 50 much
for them. Diamonds are q staple article,
however, AMI their prices do not change
much.
This is q good business in good times.
l know Of widow in Paris who has
made very good thing of it. There nrc
q great many women in Amsterdam and
| Paris who are in the business Amster-
dam is the headquarters of the world for
diamond cutting. No business is done
there except through brokers, aud as
said. there are great many women.
"Our business feels the effects Of hard
times before any of the others, for we
deal in the Injuries Of Injuries The
| tariff increase of 25 per cent on cut
stones and 10 per cent increase on rough
stones has hurt legitimate dealers seri-
ously. There are apparently no less
stones in the country and there must be
a great deal of smuggling done. Many
diamond cutters have come to this couu-
try since the tariff was put on.
1t is probable that great many
people come to this country just to bring
diamonds And women, | have heard
| since l WAS child, ara born SNUG glers
| Diamonds are good invest,nont 1t
is just this way. If you buy II horse and
carriage and use them eight or ten years
the horses would be old and the carriage
worn out. You paid thousands for them,
yon only get few hundreds if you sell
| them. Wait a little longer and you got
nothing. Diamonds do not wear out.
The man of whom you bought them
charged You in selling, for his store
came 10 in his profit. Naturally ne will
not pay you that back. He will probably
give you tho wholesale price of the stone
at the time you sell, and diamonds do
not vary greatly in price. People who
bought eIneralds or pearls few years
ago could sell them now to an adyan-
tage."