The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-01
HOW Diamonds ARE INITIATED.
Yellow stones Converted Into Gems
of Great BriIIiancy.


From the st. Louis Republic.
To initiate diamonds so that the spuri-
GUS ones are difficult of detection has been
the endeavor of swindlers for very long
time. A method of successful imitation
has been recently discovered, and the or
iginator OF this imposition actually de-
frauded the pawnbrokers of London alone
in one year of upward OF S9OOOW
The general public as well as the Jew
elers are aware that diamonds of yei-
lowish tingue, or, as they are technically
termed "straWs," are worth very little.
Large stones of this color even when
weighing from 10 to 100 carats, are quite
common and win only fetch in the mar
ket from So to $40 per carat Diamonds
of the same weight, If of the first water or
perfectly colorless are worth from five
TO ten times as much.
The methods OF the individual referred
to were as follows: He purchased
quantity of yellow stones" and then by
a simple yet ingenious process succeeded
in imparting to them an evaneseent pur-
ity of color This was done by procuring
two ordinary glasses, a kettle of boiling
water and a packet of mauve dye. The
yellow" diamond, which was perhaps set
in a gold ring or pin, was merely dipped
in the glass containing the dye ana then
in clean boiling water half dozen times
ana allowed TO Dry, NUttl II DINoSiAtN All
the appearance, even to the eye of an eX-
pert. of magnificent stone of the first
water. The next move was to place the
ring on the finger and the wel-dressed dla-
mond dyer would sally forth, enter
pawnbroker' and pledge the ring for a
least three times its worth, Within
twelve hours, however, the effects of the
dye would have disappeared, and the poor
pawnbroker could only wonder what on
earth was wrong was his eyes when he
advanced SO much money on such a yell
low stone.
Fortunately owing TO the magnitude of
this individuals operation, the fraud has
been discovered, and now pawnbroSers, If
they are suspicious of a diamonds color,
immerse it in nitric acid, which of course,
destroys any dye that may be present
without in any way injuring the stone.
Rubies, sapphires and emeralds may be
initiated so eXcellently in paste" as TO
deceive any eye, but the hardness of these
gems cannot be impaired to glass or
paste" For fraudulent purposes "doub-
let's" are manufactured, which even rival
the beauty of genuine gems. 'Doublets,"
as the name implies, are made in two
pieces. The top half is usually a genuine
stone generally a white sapphire beautI-
fully cut and polished. This Is Joined by
an invisible cement to a paste" bottom
or even to another white sapphire, paint
ed on the side where the Joints effectedp
red, blue or green, according 10 the stone
II is desired to counterfeit. These "doub-
let's look as well as, usually better than,
bona fide stones, excepting those of the
finest quality, and are TO be discovered
by only one test. Take them out of their
setting and cast. them into boiling water
when, if they are "doublets," they will
speedily come asunder. A 1eweler will ex-
Derience no difficulty in reuniting them as
before, but it must be remembered that
such stones are to all intents and purposes
Valueless