The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1907-10-08
Try Admiral Coffee.
WOMEN CUT DIAMONDS
The Most Delicate Work Is Intrusted
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 Amster-
dam, In the annual report Of Frank
ID. Hill, consul at that Dutch port,
that In a great diamond cutting fac
tory three women are intrusted with
the most delicate and difficult part OF
the processes.
II is an important industry In AM
sterdam, is diamond cutting. Thous-
ands of the gems that come from the
mines in South Africa are taken TO
that city to bo split and cut pol
ished, mado over from rough stones
into the sparkling wells OF light that
shine on women's necks. In this fac
tory were women are employed over
100000 diamonds were cut and poll
ished In one year. For 30 years only
men were employed, but In 1875, as an
experiment, 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
fawless gems. The men do this by
hand, holding the diamond, which has
been firmly waxed in little frame, in
one hand, and 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. It is a
ticklish task, this diamond cutting,
and trying to the eyes. Some Of the
diamonds are so minute that 400 OF
them will weigh less than half carat.
Yet even the most inhnltesimal angle
on the surface must be detected and
cut OF. The diamonds are still held
by being waxed In little frame, and
before the women burn jets of gas,
ready to be used when melted wax
is needed. For eight hour day the
women work. skillfully welding their
little pear-shaped diamond'tipped
tools. And they receive for this work
the magnificent remuneration OF from
8 to 20 guilders ($3.2l to $500
week. To be sure, living is not so ex-
pensive In Amsterdam as II 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 windows to give them
light. Fortunately for them, light is
necessary to their work.
The stones are given 10 the women |
In pockets by the forewoman and II
by chance worker loses a gem and /
cannot find 1t she must refund its val |
ue. This cutting is responsible work,
therefore, and II is slow and patient
work. An ordinary stone, weighing
10 carats, will take q woman whole
day to finish.
There are 20 women doing this work.
In the big workrooms, where the dia-
monds go for the final process-the
polishing-there are 800 men working.
It is interesting to note that the high
est wage any woman receives 20
suilders week-is the average OF
he pay for these men. Machinery is
used In this department. where the
are polished and given what
IS technically called their "sides."
A good many celebrated diamonds
nave passed through this factory
where the women work. 1t was here
hat the Victoria, weighing 400 car
its was cut and polished. and the mo-
Sul, 279 carats in weight. and the great
Regent Of France. which is now in the
louvre. The Kohinoor vas recut hero
osing half its weight In the process,