Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1903-01-31
EASY TESTS OF DIAMONDS.
Several Ways of Telling the Genuine
from the Sham.

Anyone can tell a genuine diamond OF
precious stone even from very clever
imitation. There are few household
tests which are practically infallible.
Tho diamond expert. after long expert
ence with gems. can detect an imitation,
as rule, ut a glance The layman In
such matters. with few simple tests
takes more time 10 solve such problems.
but his judgment in the end is scarcely
less accurate.
An imitation diamond is never so bril-
liant $ genuine stone. II your eye is
not experienced enough to detect The diff
ference very simple test is To place the
stone under water The imitation stone
is practically eXtinguished while il genu-
inc diamond sparkleS even under water
and is distinctly visible. When possible
place Il genuine stone beside the possible
imitation under wafer and the contrast
will be apparent to the least experienced
eyes.
The glass-cutting test is, of course.
more or less familiar. II is probably the
most common. False diamonds are
usually cut more regularly than the III
uine stones, In cutting Il diamond the
material is saved as far as possible. In
any imitation the material is itself worth
less and no effort is made to suit the
size or angle of the facets to the form OF
the stone. 1t can be put down as Z;
safe rule that when stone is cut with
Great evenneSs and regularity ii is. to
say the least, very suspicious sign.
Another very simple and effective tcst
is to place drop of water on the stone
and carefully observe the result. The
stone should first he carefully cleaned.
On an imitation diamond the drop, how
ever small, will deliquescc The dron
will however. retain its original shape
on Il true stone. To make the test quite
sure use a magnifyiug glass when waech-
ing the action of the drop.
Sul another test of this nature is n
pass the stone over piece of aluminium,
Both the meal and the stone should he
| absolutely free from any traces of
grease. The metal will give off some
OF its color to an imitation stone. while
Il genuine diamond will remain pelfect-
! ly clear aud unaffected. Among jewelers.
| the final test Is to apply dron Of huo-
| hydro acid To the stone under suspicion
| The acid Will eat into amy false diamond
and frost it, while the genuine stones
! VII! not be damaged In the slightest de-
gree.
Perhaps the simplest method of an
| however, Is to examine IN ink spot on 4
sheet Of whi5c paper through diamond
| 10y hotang the upper surface against the
eye. If the stone he counterfeit the
| black Srot VIII ar~ear greatly multi
| pued, or II least doubled. The outline
will, moreover. appear blurred and in
, distinct. By using a ma~uifying glas,
| The test can readily te made absolute.
The optical test is the best in eXamin
inc rubes and cmcralds. 1t is common
| ly supposed that such stones can be best
tnStc'I 10y rubbing them with file. thai
the genuine ones resist the steel. Will,
the limitations only will suffer: hut til,
test is not exhaustive. The best nlar
is to examine them closely with a micro
| scope of about 100 diameterS. Tn,
genuine stones have a number of minut,
| flaws. whereas the limitations are likeh
| 10 be much more nearly perfect il
texture. The London Express.