Perth Amboy evening news., 1910-12-21
PREPARING DIAMONDS
FOR THE RETAIL TRADE
New Machine Invented by
American Makes Big Saving.
HOW DIAMONDS ARE POLISHED
Rough Diamonds Must Go Through
Five Different Processes Before
They Are Finished.

4 The diamond market Of the world iE
lcontrolled by the London Syndicate, who
In turn sell the rough diamonds taken
from the mines to a few diamond Gu,
tiers at Amsterdam and Antwerp; the.
are hen sold by diamond brokers T.
wholesale dealers In diamonds. From,
them they find their way. through retail
dealers. to the public. About a year ago
through influence brought to bear on the
syndicate. Charles A. Keene. Of No. 1SG
Broadway. Manhattan, was appointed
the only American retail representative
Lsadanr gJHdicatc. Since that time
he has beenNlratins rough diamonds sent
to him in his diamond cutting works ID
Brooklyn, employing some fifty odd
hands. which enables him to sell his Gus
toners at his New York establishment
from 20 to 90 per cent. cheaper than
jewelers. who are Obliged TO buy them
through the old-fashioned method. This
was brought to our attention and our re
porter, Upon Investigating the matter, not
only found the sbov. statement to be y
fact. but rather enjoyed the trip through
Mr.. Keene's diamond cutting works
Upon interviewing the superintendeh.
ly received aud gives the following
details.
On being shown the diamonds In thai
rough as they were received from tbs
mines, they appeared to b. dull piecv+
of crystal. He found that before thu
diamond was ready for the market il
had to 20 through five different processes,
known as cleaving, saving, %cutiin.. hAlf.
finishing and finishing. He was alse
told that a diamond in the rough lost
about 60 per cent. OF it's weight before
being finished. Cleaving is taking the
Jaws from the rough diamond. II tire
diamond Is TOO deep 1t is sawed and
for the next process, which is called cut
ting, The diamond is then limb dded IN
strong cement. fixed at the point of d
spindle-shaped stick about a foot long
with the portion of the diamond only
projecting, ready to receive the frs
facet.
Another diamond is then used as the
FIRST, and the cutting process begins,
After 1t has gone through the brutins
machine the diamond is ready TO be-
polished. 1t is then placed on q L.lll.
which is a very simple machine consist
ing of a circular horizontal plate of cas-
Iron. about 10 inches la diameter. To
hold the diamond and keep it steady
while the polishing is goirg on. a cur
about u of an inch in depth and the
same width, with a stem about foui
inchns long Of copper wire. Is filed witt
solder formed in a conicai shape. In
which the diamond Is Embedded while
each facet is to be polished. This process
Is gone through some sixty odd times
before finishing. From time to time the
diamond Is taken out and examined. l.
requires a number of days before Il !
finished. Our reporter was sh0wn sew
eral hundred carnts Of pure white diA-
monds which skilled workmen were just
finishing.
I'VE have the latest up-to-date dia-
mond cutting machinery" said the su-
p~erintendent. "You see the old method
Of c~leaving diamonds caused so mnch
waste; that is, when the cleave stru j
the blow to divide the diamond It spiiut
cred, causing q great loss, as the small
pieces were only st to pound up ia
make diamond dust TO cut and polish the
diamonds. We have twenfy4six Of these
80 wing machines. invented by an Aussri
can. They save at least 10 per cent. or
the old style Of cutting: then again we
can saw the rough diamond ints any
SHAPE we wish, so you can readily uRaer'
stand Why and how we cut these very
spready and snowy diamonds. This ola,
mond locke 10 be ! carat, yet IL eniy
weighs q little over th~ree-qsarters Of a
CARAT: this one weighs thrsesigsta. yei
any dealer would sag ons-baif carat if he
did not weigh T.. We certainly hare
caused a demand for spresay diamonds,
which Ee0k sesriy twice thels actual
value to all appearances "a far az the
public Is concerned. And fAewe liam PADS
ieok to be nearly q carat and a half IN
freight. YET they snly wstsh ane carat
each.
NO other jeweIsF, except Mr.. Eeens."
said the superintendent. Swbo sells dla-
monds direct 10 the public caa purchase
diamonds fros the Lendon Syndi-
cate, as their output is controlled
bv 4 few certain cutters. and It's Only
when one OF them dies that AZ outsider
b. able 10 get In with the #yudlcate. You
ean easily see Why X is that Mr. Keene
can sell Diamonds cheaper than any other
retail or wholesale diamond dealer"
The diamond cutting works Of Ar.
Keeae haish about SIS, coo worth OF dis-
erety week IN the year, excepting
sha MeakA nf December. when At least
frls czfh Of aiaweTSs are finished
Assss@ ~hf09AS AZ Nc. 100
mssasSsM 1g IA price