The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-03-30
DIAMOND POLISHING.
CUTTING AND PUTTING A LUSTER
ON THE FIERY STONE.

enough to be able TO wear diamonds
know what amount Of labor has been
expended upon them from the time they
were mined until finally they appear III
tho showcases of the jewellers ready for
use Fewer still are aware of the fact
that the labor Of the cutter and polisher
adds at least $40 n carat to the value OF
the uncut diamond. These would squirm
at the idea of taking even seemingly
finished and polished brilliant and split
ting it into two pieces, doubling the ex-
pediency OF the act on common sense
grounds. The loss in weight from cut
ting is over one-half, but it so adds to
the value of the diamond that a stone |
of one carat, costing in the rough per- |
haps $40, would sell for $ll0 when cut |
and polished, and the refuse or leav- |
ings from the cutting might bring |
tidy sum besides. The value, however,
does not depend alone upon the weight
of the stone, but it is affected also 10y
blemishes and impurity of color. 1t is
the stone with a blemish, which is some
times left IL it in the hope that the
ignorant and inexperienced purchaser
may not discover it, which goes to the
diamond cutter u second time, that the
connoisseur thinks needs cutting and
necessarily reducing to take the blemish
out of, and thus increased its brilliancy
and value.
Less than 10 years ago two diamond
cutters cut and finished all the rough
diamonds which came to this market
In fact, there was not sufficiency or
work even for these two workmen, for
! the brilliants were nearly all imported
in q finished state, ready for setting III
any shape for the wearers. But the du-
ties upon these became an important
matter as there was nothing to pay up
| on the rough stone, at least nothing to
J speak of, ami the finished article cost
high because of the demands of Uncle
Sam He argued that people who could
afford to wear diamonds should be Will
ing to pay high for the privilege. This
matter of duty paid to the customs Off
GERS became an incentive to the dia-
mond cutting profession, and the num-
Der of workmen was increased and the
inventive genius of our bright Ameri'
can inventors set at work to make labor
saving machines for cutting and polish
ing diamonds.
Another fact that increased the incen-
tive to encouraging American diamond
enters was that the work on the bril-
liants was too frequently done in care
less manner in Europe, particularly out
side of the Dutch city of Amsterdam,
and that American workmen could
much better satisfy the critical taste OF
our people who deal in aud wear pre-.
cious stones, for the trade takes III all
nrecious stones as we'll as diamonds. Al
that time the difference between ORA
mond imported and one cut and hnlsheo
here was so marked that the demand 1ol
stones finished here was greatly IN
creased, and within five years some sly
more diamond cutters had establlsheo
, themselves in New York, and all mac
more work than it was possible for then
, todo The eight diamond cutters dressed
and polished at least one twentieth o
all the diamonds sold in the city OF New
} York, and the superior excellence Q
| their work was recognized by all deal
, ers and became the envy OF the olde
workers in Holland, who had heretofor
had almost a complete monopoly OF IN
: trade This showed that some things q
:. we'll as others might be done on tn
side of the water better than the WORK
men of Europe could do
Diamonds are imported, as rule
from South Africa, where as large an
ne fine stones are found as in all OF I'll
East Indies and Brazil. although man
of the African diamonds are oil colo
They come to this country i'll the roug
i in all sorts of shapes and almost alway
f maven in shape. These lack entirel
|. that luster which is the beauty OF I'll
brilliant and, attaches to the name
l. closely, for it is the brilliancy ana III
/ ter which make the diamond most val
able. added. of course, to the fact OF
d hardness and consequent ability to tai
10 and keep very high polish. by u
Is process of "cleaving" the irregularitl
4" Of the rough stones are Clipped OIL, al
N the general form of the diamond is
D. cnred. but without its possession or al
" of the circles which separate the rae
&c These Clipped off pieces, II OF sui.as
color and without flaws, are used ]
1T making what are denominated ros'
10 diamonds. What are called. in the pi
G. lance of the trade, "fasces' of the a.
to mond are cut by the rubbing togetf
m &c two stones. and when this process
I'd COMPLETED and the stones have been 81
ed 6oiently rubbed down they resemble Q
IN irregular glass pebbles, but ground
il the fasces so that there is no sign 1
T. any suggestion even of brilliancy
to fact, they are entirely without luster
ey beauty. and to the inexperienced
er worthless pieces of glass But when
polishing of these dull looking st0ne {,
finished, and the process conciud
there is a vast difference i'll the appe
I'd ance of the diamonds. -Phiadeip
al Times.
Electricity and Leather.