The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-09-30
DIAMONDS TELL OF GOOD TIMES
Importation of Them aud Other Jewels at
Barometer a. 10 Prospsrity.

barometer a. Ia Prosperity.
There is an old saying mon dia.
mona dealers that by the volume Of tht
importation of precious stones from
abroad the condition Of business in this
country may be correctly gagged. wher
lIfnes are good the demand for dia-
monds is large; when times are
bad, diamonds being a luxury. are
IN less demand and the importation of
them declines. Just now there is a
largely increased demand for diamonds.
n II there be merit i'm the claim made
IN the saying quoted this should be an
other indication Of p~ervasive good times,
n treasury bulletin recently issued
in Washington ~corroborates distinctly
the claim OF enlarged importations of
diamonds. Here are the figures for the
two years, ending July l. 1897 and 1898.
or diamon importations into the United
states: 1897. 81, 9S5. SO: 1898. sc. 955. 7S9.
me increase of importations Of dia-
monds, however, not the only one in the
line Of decorative jewelry," so to speak.
The importations for the two years of
other precious stones, rubies. saphires,
emeralds, pearls, opals, etc. are as fol-
lows In mount 1897, S1,573.7SS 1898.
$3.4f0. O76.
The two chief foreign ports from
which diamonds are sent to this country
are Amsterdam and Antwerp. From
Great Britain a considerable amount of
leWelry is exported to the United States.
but much of il comes from England in
transit, particularly from switzerland.
a country having few direct trade re-
lations with the United States. In the
fiscal year Of 1894. following the dapres-
sion caused by the financial disturb-
ances OF that year. the exports of lew
elry to the United States fell off one-halr
IN amount. The expectations Of French
Jewelry fell of two-thirds and from
Holland four-ffths. but the losses sus-
tanned IN the amount of the exports
have been more thar covered this wear
as the treasury figures show. The
port. which practically gets
al the jewelry. diamonds n precious
stones sent into the United States IS
New York, the importations into other
American ports being insignificant in
Notwithstanding the fact that a
considerable share OF the countrv's lew
elry business is one in New England.
particularly in the city of Providence
The explanation of the matter is that
New York is the market OF supply for
the whole country in jewelry and pre-
clous stone setting.
The largest country Of EXPORT Of uncut
to the United States is HoI.
land. and England follows through the
development Of the diamond Interests
~ AiIl'a. IN the lmportations Of Jewell
~ ana precious stones other than dia
nonds' france leads and Holland fol-
IoWs. The ~variances I'm the amount Of
business done in diamonds and precious
'tones Ga trade peculiarly ~susceptib;e
10 trade conditions) is shown In the case
Belgium. In 1894 its total exporta-
to the United States were TO the
'alue of S4 600 in diamonds. ieweIrv
precious stones. The wear before
hey were $500, 900, or seven times great
n.
Tne same assertion which Is made
diamonds and precious
tones as a trade barometer has bean
made a~ssiduously for champagne. the
mportations Of which are always Iar--
st when business is good and smallest
.hen times are dull.-New York Sun