The Savannah morning news., 1901-10-15
MANUFACTURING REAL JEWELS.
Rubies and EmeraIds Chemically
Constructed Have Commercial Value

Constructed Have Commercial Value
Something of real present interest to
dealers and the public alike is the sue
cess which has been achieved in the
manufacture of rubies. While the dia,
mond is the commonly accepted syn
onym for value in a precious stone. the
ruby is much more valuable. When
possessing the real pigeon blood color
evenly distributed and without flaw,
times as much per caret as the dia-
mond. This stone, therefore, is the ia
vorite target for imitation. And, as be-
fore stated, it is in making rubies that
the greatest skill has been shown.
Electricity has done much for this
art. A Frenchman-his identity is a
secret to the world, and as yet he is
known only by his works-has learned
to melt up small rubies, or fragments
of rubies, and fuse them into one
stone. The product is not an imita-
ton. 1t has all the chemical and
physical properties of the real thing.
1t is as hard, has the same specific
gravity, and is genuinely beautiful in
color
But, say the jewelers., it is not gen.
uine. Such stone is know to the trade
as a reconstructed" ruby. None but
the most expert can distinguish it from
the so-called real one. The connoiseur
will admit that he distinguishes 1t by
the absence of flaws rather than by
the presence of defects. A reconstruct
ed ruby is apt to be to perfect.
The reconstructed ruby appeared on
the market about eighteen months
ago. All came from one source, a
wealthy dealer in Paris. At first the
stones were in great demand, and sold
for 800 a caret; but as the public
gradually learned that the stone was
the combined result of the work of ma
ture and of man, the demand fell of
The buyer felt that the stone, made
up of fragments fused in an electric
furnace, was not just the same as the
one taken from the earth, even though
the latter might have more flaws. and
unless deceived by the dealer, he would
not pay as much for 1t. In consequence
the prise has dropped to $50 a caret
The emerald is another stone which
is eleverly initiated. A perfect emer'
aid is the rarest thing in the world. II
is Characteristic of the emerald to be
fawed, and all good limitations con-
tain artificial flaws. A fiawless emer-
aid is Immediately an object of sus-
picion. The only ones in existence have
been obtained by cutting away the
greater part of some large and beau
tiful stone, leaving only the small part
free from defect. This is a very ex'
travagant method. since II is the color
by which the emerald is judged. The
few fiawless emeralds in existence are
held at fabulous prices. The color
must be a deep rich green. limitations
are made by chemical processes. and a
good imitation is nearly as valuable as
the real. The paste of which they are
made is hardened by heat until it viii
stand the so-called file test-that is
II will not be scratched by a hard Eng
lish file made for the purpose.
Another imitation is known as the
"doublet." 1t is made by a process
similar to veneering in woodwork. A
thin layer of real stone is cementec
on an artificial base. This method
which is practiced in France, is also
employed to make imitation sapphires
and rubies. The very cheap limitations
are made of glass.
Some of the cleverest work is done
in initiating pearls. The beauty of q
pearl is In it's sheen, and its face value
depends on sheen, size and color. The
good artificial pearl is now given al
these characteristics to degree almos
equal to the one made in the shell OF
o the ONHItTs GNEn Tic ndNlFt NAlAA
is the fluid in the shell of the oyster
which deposits the calcareous layers o.
the pearl. has been reproduced chem
4 ically, and the pearl are put into a re.
voving cylinder and kept rolling in thu
nacre until they take on the real coat
ing. Formerly the artificial pearl wal
blown: but with all the care possibi'
this process left a small nub which
marked Il as artificial So now they
are dropped in a tower. like shot. Thu
( price Of pearls. as OF other stones. va
( ries in accordance with the demand o.
the hour Just now they are very high
and the best limitations viii bring be
ter prices than the poor genuine ones
The Oriental pearl IS supposed 20 b.
the most valuable. but lately very fin'
fresh water pearls have been found ~
Tennessee and Wisconsin.
The expert distinguish the rea
from the artificial precious stone n
various ways. The fle test has beer
mentioned. Dealers also have a litti'
piece OF certain kind ~ hard quarts
which is worked 90 o point and Whici
VIII scratch glass and most limitations
But the expert goes most on appear
ance. he learns 20 look for certain
characteristics 81 color and structure
makeup. Be recognizes the flaws
Finally an expert viii feli you be bai
an intuition. ~ De- like the feminini
faculty 81 knowing, without elBay'