The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1901-09-13
IMITATION JEWELS.
tENEERED DIAMONDS AND GEMS OF
FINE coLoRED GLASS.

Trade-Fine Gold Settings Used For
Bogus stones-The Halo Around o
Genuine Pearl.
Although the imitation of jewels has
been practiced for century or more
there are comparatively new develop
ments In the industry every few years,
and the business has of late attained
enormous proportions. The majority of
these stones are made abroad. and hence
they are imported. But while they are
exceedingly cheap and the duty is low
the attempt is occasionally made to SNUG
gle them into the country. and a seizure
results. Again, the imitation is some
times so good that even the customs Off
GERS are puzzled for a time. However, 1t
is always possible for an expert to tell
the difference II he has sufficient eppor-
tunity to apply the proper tests.
limitations Of the diamond. topaz. emer-
aid, amethyst and turquoise are usually
made Of paste or strass. which Is nothing
more than particularly fine grade Of
glass. to which. if the stone is colored,
the proper hue has been impaired by the
addition to some mineral substance.
There is at least one European house,
|
its diamond composition, thus securing
greater hardness than would otherwise
| be- possible.
In London still another plan Is pursued
to improve the paste diamond. Genuine
diamond dust. produced by the cutting
| of jewels. is treated with acid, reduced
to a plastic state and then rolled out in
exceedingly thin sheets. This veneer
lie int ho CHI nd p
ed on the faces Of the strass. Glass dia-
monds can be bought for a few cents
when unset. but veneered diamond is
worth nearly 81. A high degree of skill
| is required in its preparation.
There are several methods Of distin-
| gushing between a true diamond and
paste. Hydrohuoric acid will eat glass,
but will not affect the genuine stone. A
file makes no impression on the latter
either. Finally a real diamond contins
ues to glitter when immersed In water.
Some artificial rubies are Of paste; 9TH
ers have the same composition as the
| genuine stone. which consists Of corun-
dunn. The latter variety of imitation
| ruby has the proper hardness and spe-
ciic gravity. and the color is faultless.
Ii can be distinguished from the true
ruby only by powerful magnifying
glass. Singularly enough. the genuine
article Is identified by its defects. There
are natural flaws in it not found In the
| imitation. although the imitation also
! posspsses other characteristics minute
bubbles. for iuStanceI which are readily
recognized On some stones, like the
topaz and emerald. it is not wise to use
a file. They are not hard enough to re-
sist it. The magnifying glass is the sur
est means of ascertaining the character
of these jewels.
Owing no doubt to the fact that pearls
are often worn in strings instead Of sim
gly or in pairs. like diamonds. the BUSH
ness of manufacturing limitations Of them
IL far more extensive than any kindred
branch of the industry, except perhaps
the making of bogus turquoises and en-
eralds and rubies for belt buckles. And
inasmueh as most of these imitation
pearls are exceedingly cheap II is possi-
tle for anybody to buy them. Thus one
may get a card bearing a dozen stickpins
with initiation pearl heads for from 10
to IS cents. II the stones were genuine,
they would be worth from 500 TO 5000.
There are several kinds of imitation
pearls. One Is q glass bead filled with
composition. The glass is often not over
a sixtyfourth of an inch thick. There
are several different compositions used.
One looks very much like paraffin. A
bead filled with that material would
crush easily. In other globular pearls,
pierced for stringinR, a harder substance
ID employed. There Is an imported imita-
ton pearl whose shell Is said to be made
Of 6shskin and whose filing Is q COM
pound in which there Is ground mother Of
r. III, - h.
shell. wherein the real pearl 10 produced.
This ssrt Of jewel costs q dollar or two,
and q string Of 60 would sell for $50.
Real pearls Of the same size and beauty
would bring fully hundred times that
price.
Although the manufacture of imitation
pearls was long confined to Europe. 1t IL
now conducted In this country also. A
New York house. the FIRST to engage in
the business, introduced q novelty to the
trade Q few years ago. 1t made solid
pearls In addition to the filled ones. The
composition employed is as hard as rock.
1t In almost impossible to break these
jewels. and their luster. color and ingen-
ious irregularity Of form will deceive any
one who does not use a magnifying glass
on them. The head Of this house tells
many amusing stories about the mistakes
made by expert jewellers and pawnbro-
kers when these stones 6rst made their
appearance. or course II Is not easy to
fool an experienced person: still the ex-
pert must use a powerful lens in order to
ascertain the real character Of Q pearl.
He will not trust the naked eye. Occa-
sionally q jeweler will say: mo. ] cannot
detect an imitation pearl eight or ten
feet away. but if l hold 1t in my hand I
can see the difference between that and
the real thing. There's a sort Of halo
around the genuine article which Is I'M
mista ka ble" But other men In the
trade frankly admit that only by means
Of q microscope can they discriminate.
A fashion has sprung up Of late years
which enhances the deception produced
by imitation jewels. Ii a paste diamond
10 set in a brass ring or IN imitation pearl
10 mounted on a German silver pin. Q
sharp eyed observer might suspect the
character Of the jewel. but when the set
ting ID Of II carat or IL carat gold and
the manufacturer has lavished more or
less artistic skill on the design Of ring
or stud or clasp different impression ID
created.
When one FIRST gets an idea Of the
enormous extent to which imitation jew
els are solo and worn. he naturally won
berB whether the trade In genuine stones
has been affected. But little inquiry In
the proper quarter will satisfy him that
h has not. The former are purchased By
Q class Of people who cannot afford the
latteE-New York Tribune.