Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-09-20
Mistellansu,ls 2sadins.
WOMEN CUT DIAMONDS.
The Most Delicate Work Is Entrusted
to Feminine Hands.


to Feminine Hands.
Women have always excelled In the
art Of wearing diamonds, but how
many people know that they excel In
the art of cutting them, too? Yet they
do. Word comes from Amsterdam, In
the annual report of Frank D. Hill
consul at that Dutch port, that In
great diamond cutting factory three
women are intrusted with the most
delicate and difficult part of the pro-
cesses.
1t is an important industry in Am
sterdam, Is diamond cutting. Thou
sands Of the gems that come from the
mines in South Africa are taken to
that city to be split and cut and pol
ished, made over from rough stones
into the sparkling wells Of light that
shine on women's necks. In this fac
tory where women are employed over
400, 900 diamonds were cut and polish
ed in one year. For thirty years only
men were employed, but in 1875, as
an experiment, a few women were
taken on, and so dexterous did they
prove that now the most important
part, the cutting Of the diamond, Is
done by them.
When the rough gems come in they
are first taken in hand by men. They
do the splitting, that is. divide the
stones that have flaws into pure and
nawless gems. The men do this by
hand, holding the diamond, which has
been firmly waxed in a little frame, In
one hand, ar' with the other pressing
the diamond tipped tool on the weak
spot where the flaw Is in the stone.
Then the women take the divided
sections and perfect them. 1t Is a
ticklish task, this diamond cutting, and
trying to the eyes. Some Of the dia-
monds are so minute that 400 Of them
will weigh less than half carat. Yet
even the most infinitesimal angle on
their surface must be detected and cut
off. The diamonds are still held by
being waxed in a little frame, and be-
fore the women burn jets Of gas, ready
to be used when melted wax is need
ed. For eight hours day the women
work, skillfully welding their little
pear-shaped diamond tipped tools.
And they receive for this work the
magnificent remuneration Of from to
20 guilders 1921 to $500 a week. To
be sure, living is not so expensive In
Amsterdam as 1t Is In America, and
these women have at least a pleasant
place to work in. A shop has been
built for them right on the quay, close
to the factory, and they have 1t all
to themselves and plenty Of large win
dows to give them light. Fortunately
for them, light is necessary to their
work.
The stones are given to the women
in pockets by the forewoman, and IL
by chance worker loses a gem and
cannot find 1t she mtist refund Its val
ue. This cutting Is responsible work,
therefore, and it is slow and patient
work. An ordinary stone, weighing
about 10 carats, will take woman
whole day to finish.
There are twenty women doing this
work. In the big workrooms, where
the diamonds go for the final process
the polishing-there are 300 men
working. 1t Is interesting to note that
the highest wage any woman receives
20 guilders a week-is the average
of the pay for these men. Machinery
Is used in this department, where the
diamonds are polished and given what
Is technically called their sides" ..
A good many celebrated diamonds
have passed through this factory where
the women work, 1t was here that
the Victoria, weighing 400 carats. was
cut and polished, and the Mogul. 2s7
carats in weight, and the great Regent
of France, which Is now in the Louvre.
The Kohinoor was recut here, losing
half it's weight in the process, but
more than doubling its value.