The representative., 1900-05-17
DIAMOND TRADE
AMSTERDAM PREPARES THOUSANDS
OF AFRICAN STONES YEARLY.
The Three Delicate Processes That
Make a Gem Ready for Your Ring
Very Responsible Work That Pays
Only Moderately.

Among the many industries of Amsterdam
one Of the most interesting, as well as the
most important, is that of diamond cutting
and polishing, says the London Golden
Penny. Though an unknown art until the
fifteenth century, 1t has since that time
flourished greatly, until now at the present
day there are no less than sixty two firms
registered as diamond companies in this
great city. Among the more important OF
these firms stands that Of Mr.. Coster, es-
tablished in 1S4S Here $50 to 400 work.
men are constantly employed, most of them
in the delicate work of diamond polishing.
When the diamonds arrive first in Am
sterdam, they are in the same rough, uncut
state as they were when found in the South
African mines (for 80 per cent Of all the
diamonds cut and polished annually in Mr..
Coster's factory come from South Africa)
Before reaching their highly polished state
they have to pass through three separate
and distinct prOcesses-the processes of
diamond splitting, diamond cutting and dia-
mond polishing, and when these are ac-
complished the stones are ready for the
jeweler.
The first process consists simply Of split
ting the rough diamond containing haws)
into several pure tiawless ones, and in this
work twelve men are constantly employed.
In this particular process no machinery
is used. Pulling open small drawer III
the wooden table one Of the men showed
US beautiful uncut diamonds all still In the
rough state. Then we watched the actual
splitting" process itself. At first sight it
looks simple one. but we soon discovered
that it needs great skill on the part of the
workmen. A small wooden tool is held In
the left hand into which rough diamond
has been firmly "waxed'' at the top. Pieces
of the wax-like cement lie conveniently
near on the table, and as gas jet is always
burning there, the necessary heat is easily
supplied. In the right hand of the work
man a similar tool is held, the top consist
ing also of a diamond which later on is to
act as a knife in splitting the rough dia-
mond held in the other hand. Nothing but
a diamond will cut a diamond, and so the
diamond is extensively employed in all the
A stone Of 100 carats can be split in fifteen
minutes by skillfully pressing one diamond
against the other on the spot where q
flaw occurs, the diamond in the right hand
being used as q knife. Where a flaw oc-
ours split soon takes place, and the dia-
mond divides into two stones. Should there
be another flaw in either Of these, the
operation Is again repeated until several
pure, fawless diamonds lie on the rough
wooden table. and the first process is sue
cessfully accomplished.
The second process, that of diamond cut
ting, is also performed without the aid Of
machinery, except in the case Of the larger
stones. The work OF diamond cutting IL
performed by Dutch women and girls Twen-
ty women are employed for eight hours
every day from 8 .. N. until IL, and
then again from ? p. N. to 81. Their wages
vary from IL to 20 guldens q week from
s. to $8,l and they certainly look = most
respectable and capable set Of workwom-
=. Thousands of diAmonds annually pass