Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1907-12-26
WOMEN CUT DIAMONDS.
Most Delicate Work Now Generally
lntrusted to Feminine Hands

intrusted 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, says the New York Tribune. Word
comes from Amsterdam, In the an
nual report of Frank D. Hill, consul
at that Dutch port, that in a great
diamond cutting factory there women
are entrusted with the most delicate
and difficult part of toe processes.
1t is an important industry in Am.
terdam, is diamond cutting. Thous.
ands 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
factory where women are employed
over 100000 diamonds were cut and
polished In one year. For thirty years
only men were employed, but in 1875,
as an experiment, a few women were
prove that now the most important
part, the cutting OF the diamonds. 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
fiawless 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-tlpped 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
diamonds are so minute that 400 OF
them will weigh less than half
carat. Yet even the most infinitesi-
NAL angle on their surface must be
detected and cut of The diamonds
are still held by being waxed In lit.
tie frame and before the women burn
jets OF gas, ready to be used when
melted gas is needed. For eight hours
a day the women work, skillfully
welding their little pear-shaped dia-
mond-tipped tools. And they receive
for this work the magnificent remu-
neration of from s TO 20 guilders
| ($3.2l to $500 week. To be sure
living is not so expensive in Amster.
dam as 1t Is In America and these wo-
men 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 them.
selves, and plenty of large windows
TO give them light. Fortunately for
them, light is necessary for their
work
The stones are given to the women
in pockets by the forewoman, and II
by chance worker loses a gem and
cannot find it she must refund its
value, This cutting Is responsible
work therefore, and it Is slow and
patient work An ordinary stone
weighing about ten carats. will take
q woman whole days work
There are twenty women doing this
work In the big workrooms. where
the diamonds go for the final process }
the polishing-shere are 800 men
working II is interesting to note
that the highest wage any woman re-
eeiyes go guilders WEEKS the
average OF the pay of these men.
Machinery Is used I'm 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. eT9 carats in weight. and the
great Regent of France, which is now
In the Louvre. The Kohinoor was re-
cut here, losing half its weight in the
process but more than doubling its
value