Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-16
4 TALK ON GEMS.
HOW the Diamond Is Cut and Wbal
Makes It's Value

From the Toronto (Ont.) Globe
1t was a rare treat that the audience at
the Rosedale School Art League lecture had
on Saturday afternoon when Mr. James
Ryrie OF Ryrie Bros. lectured on Jewels"
Mr.. Ryrie combined enough expert infor-
nation with his lecture to give those pres
eht peep behind the scenes at the pro-
cesses that result in the blare of the Jewels
as they catch the buyers eye Naturally,
to the diamond most attention was paid
ana at the very outset Mr.. Ryrie explained
that the term karat in gold applies to
quality. pure gold being ~ karats fine and
in this form the particles fall apart like
sand, requiring an alloy of baser metal to
hold them together.
In the case of diamonds the term karat
means weight, and is derived from an In
nan seed which when dry is absolutely uni
FORM In weight. A diamond Weighing 100
karats, therefore. is one that is of the same
weight as 100 of these Indian seeds. The
end Of an ordinary lead pencil represents
the surface Of stone between one and
one-half karats. The cutting of diamonds
ana their polishing is done with diamond
dust mixed with oil placed upon wheel
that revolves with great rapidity, the dia-
mond in process Of polishing being fastened
to steel arm resting on the wheel. The
facets are cut on mathematical lines to re-
fleet and refract the rays of light, and there
are fifty-eight such facets on every full cut
brilliant
A rose cut stone is one not sufficiently
deep to admit of regular cutting. and rather
than sacrifice too much. instead Of being
cut to point underneath, 1t Is fiat with
facets on the top This variety of diamond
Is only about One-quarter the value of a
brilliant Of similar size and weight. IL
was supposed by many that white was the
only color known to diamonds. AS proof
to the contrary Mr.. Ryrie exhibited to his
audience two black diamonds and one OF
coffee color, remarking that they possessed
great value on account of their rarity.
Mr.. Ryrie showed fac SMILES In size and
shape of some of the chief crown jewels.
the most notable being the great British
diamond, of which he said: Our knowledge
of the Kohinoor, the Indian for Mountain
of Light now the property of our queen.
After vicissitudes it fell into the hands OF
the British soldiery at the capture Of La
hore, and was by them presented to her
majesty on July 3. 1850. 1t was exhibited
at the exposition of 1851. and being some
what imperfect a consultation OF leading
scientists. Sir David Brewster among them,
thought 1t might be unsafe to attempt to
recut 1t. After considerable discussion,
however, 1t was Entrusted to a Mr.. Coster
OF Amsterdam, by whom It was very great
surface size although decreasing 1t very
much In weight being reduced from 1855
to 10G karats."
Mr.. Ryrie dealt with colored stones In an
equally interesting manner. The emerald,
he said, was found in a sort of slate stra-
tum In South America, in the Ural noun.
talns and In Egypt. The ruby and the sap
phire were found In India and Burmah
The beautiful opal was native to Mexico,
but the best specimens. were from Aus
tralia. The turquoise was found In Persia,
Egypt and also In some portions of the
United States. One of the characteristics
of this stone is that 1t changes color with.
out any apparent cause.