Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-27
SHAM GEMS.
They Are Frequently Worn in Place Of
Priceless Heirlooms.

From Tit-Bits.
Coronation ceremonies and many brilliant
drawing room functions have invariably
been characterized by a remarkable display
of dazzling jewels. 1t will surprise many
to know that a goodly portion of these are
artificial gems. You see" said a dealer in
precious stones, there is nowadays no par
| ticular reason why peeress should hazard
the loss of priceless family heirlooms by
wearing her jewelry out of doors. And, as
a matter of fact, since the sensational rob
berry which was perpetrated in Paris few
years ago at the expense of the Duchess OF
Sutherland, very few of them do. The
sham gem looks just as well as the real,
and costs infinitely less. Eighteen months
ago the reconstructed ruby, as it has got
to be called, was placed on the market
Properly speaking, this is not an imitation
gem, although in sense Ii is artihcial-
that is to say, it is product of the chem
lists laberat tory. 1t is made by fuSing small
ruSes, or fragments of rubes, IN an
electric furnace and molding the resultant
mass under pressure into one perfect whole.
Such stones can hardly be distinguished,
even by expert, from one which is the
natural product of the mine. 1t has all the
chemical and physical properties of the real
thing. 1t is hard has the same specihc
gravity, and is as genuinely beautlful IN
color. In fact, reconstructed ruby is dis
tinguished not so much by the presence of
defects as by the absence of flaws. 1t is
apt to be too perfect. The same with
emeralds Artificial emeralds are put on
the market nowadays that are as brilliant,
as fiawless and as richly colored as the real
stone These are, however, not made by
fusing small genuine gems, are the ru-
bies, but are manufactured outright by
secret chemical process The paste is har-
dened by heat until it will stand the So
called file test-that is, 1t cannot be
scratched by a tempered steel file. This
same paste, by the by, left uncolored, con-
sttutes the basis of all the best imitation
diamonds. 1t all comes from one man,
Partisan dealer, and costs from Is to to an
ounce, according to the quantity ordered at
one time.
"Of course the old-fashioned doublets are
still sold. Doublets are made by process
similar to veneering in woodwork. Two
exceedingly thin layers of a real stone are
cemented over an artificial core ms
method is also in vogue for manufacturing
artificial sapphires 1t is in initiating pearls.
however, that some of the cleverest work
is done A really first-class artificial pearl
is now made equal in sheen color and size
to one actually the natural product of the
oyster. Practically it is impossible to tell
them apart. Even the 'ancre, which is the
fluid in the shells of the oyster, the depo-
sition of which is responsible for the pearl,
has been chemically reproduced. Its COM
position also is secret, and it costs about
a guinea a pint, put up in Theoretically
sealed bottles. This is used to coat the
artificial gems. Imitation pearls, | may tell
you, are not now blown, as they were a few
years back, but are dropped in a tower like
shot. By this means it is possible to turn
them out perfectly round, of almost any
requisite size; and, most important point OF
ALL minus the small nub which marked as
artificial the old-fashioned u.own pearl.
do l think it will ever be possible to
turn out a reconstructed diamond? Yes, L
do. In fact. it is being done now; but the
process is an expensive one. and the stones.
when finished, although they possess the
hardness, have not the fire or the brillancy
of the real gem. But the thing Is in the
air so to speak. improvements are being
made daily And there is no real reason
why, in the near future, an artificial koh-
i-noor should not be turned out which shall
be in every way equal to the famous In
diau