The Savannah morning news., 1903-01-18
EASY TESTS OF DIAMONDS.
Several Ways of Telling the Genuine
From the, sham.
From the London Express.


From the London Express.
Any one can tell a genuine diamond
or precious stone even from a very
clever imitation. There are few
household tests which are practically
infallible. The diamond expert, after
long experience with gems, can de-
tect an imitation. as a rule at a glance.
The layman in such matters, with a
few simple tests, takes more time TO
solve such problems. but his Judgment
In the end in scarcely accurate.
An imitation diamond is never so
| brilliant as a genuine stone. II your
| eye is not experienced enough to de-
tect the difference a very simple test
Is to place the stone under water. The
imitation stone is practically extin-
sparkles even under water and is dis
tinctly visible. When possible place
genuine stone beside the possible ini-
tatfon' under water and the contrast
will be apparent to the least experien-
ced 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
genuine stones. In cutting a diamond
the material Is saved as far as possible
In any imitation the material Is Itself
worthless 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 a safe rule than when a
sions Is cut with great evenness and
regularity II is TO say the least, very
suspicious sign.
Another very simple and effective
test is TO place a drop of water on the
stone and carefully observe the result
The stone should first be carefully
cleaned. On an imitation diamond the
drop. however small, will delIquesce.
The drop, will, however, retain It's orig
inal shape on true stone. To make
the test quite sure use a magnifying
glass when watching the action of the
drop.
Still another test of this nature is to
pass the stone over a piece of alnmi-
mum. Both the metal and the stone
should be absolutely free from any
traces of grease. The metal will give
off some of it's color to an imitation
stone, while genuine diamond will re-
main perfectly clear and unaffected.
Among jewelers. the final test is to APP
ply a drop of fiuohydric acid to the
stone under suspicion. The acid will
eat into any false diamond and frost II,
while the genuine stones win not be
damaged in the slightest degree.
Perhaps the simplest method of all,
however, is to examine an ink spot on
a sheet of white paper through dia-
mond. by holding the upper surface
against the eye. II the stone be coun-
terfeit the black spot will appear
greatly multiplied, or at least doubled.
The outline will, moreover. appear
blurred and indistinct. BY using a
magnifying glass the test can readily
be made absolute.
The optical test is the best in exam
lining rubies and emeralds. IL is COM
monty supposed that such stones can
be best tested by rubbing them with
a iIe, that the geuine stones resist the
steel, while the limitations only viii
suffer; but the test is not exhaustive.
The best plan is to examine them close
ly with microscope Of about 100 diam
eters. The genuine stones have num-
Der of minute flaws, whereas the imi-
tations are likely to be much more
nearly perfect in texture.