The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-10-23

clearest water for transparency ano
color and possess a wonderful luster'
Oftentimes glistening like deworops
when found In the sand. Being not so
hard as the British South African dia-
mOnds, there is less waste in cutting
and therefore the German stones are
very popular with the diamond cut
tiers. The cost OF production Of rough
stones at the German African mines
too. is very low, ayera ging from 80
cents to 81 per carat, while the average
in the British South African mines
ranges from 81 to s. per carat.
As Germany is net yet able to pre-
pare in home establishments all the
rough diamonds so suddenly harvested
from the colony for The market. a
large part OF the South African output
dicate of diamond merchants at Ant
werp, which has become one OF the
great conters Of the European diamond
industry. 10 be cut and polished and
made ready for tho trade. IL is said
that this syndicate took over 0e00
carats of such rough stones at $6,6f2
This large addition or raw material
gave a great impetus to the work
done at the numerous diamond factO-
rics In this city during the past year.
creating an increased demand for both
labor and wages. Even the less skill
fui workmen We're reported TO be re-
ceiving much larger wages than the
usual average. which is SIS TO $3.50
per week.
In a published report in 1903 I re-
ferrcd 10 the process by which dia-
mond Is transformed from its rough
state into the polished article, ready
tor mounting. This work OF rough
diamond cutting is the most important
part of the industry.
The craft Of diamond cutters have
had their viclssitudes. and prior TO 1870
wages were SO small that cutters who
had families could scarcely make bo-h
ends meet. The amount OF rough
% oil
then the only sources Of supply. was
so small that the men were only busy
during seven or eight months in the
year. II was not until the discovery
OF the mines in South Africa that the
situation changed. In a few months
time wages were quadrupled, and the
production went on increasing. These
were the halcyon days for the diamond
$500 week. The news OF big wages
spread rapidly abroad, and recruits to
the diamond Industry AT Antwerp were
legion, bringing about, naturally, q de-
crease In wages by the supply beeom-
ing greater tlan the demand How
ever, the diamond cutter today receives
remuneration which, though much
reduced. is still much larger than that
earned by workmen in any other in
dustry, aud this enables him 10 live in
comparatively easy circumstances.
II is practically Impossible 20 deter
mine the average OF the daily or week
they vary according to the ability and
Industry OF the Workmen. and TO many
other trade conditions. However. the
manufacturers give the work out TO a
cutter, who assumes all responsibility,
whether he does the work himself or
by ard with the aid OF assistants and
apprentices. on small stones the cut
ter works alone, but on larger ones IL
is not infrequent 10 see cutter en-
plOy as many as 10 TO 10 artisans, TO
whom he pays fixed wages, but whose
work he superintends. When about
TO polish larger stones. the cutter fire.
quently divides the work. giving, for
instance, the four first facets from top
10 bottom 10 one man. 10 another the
following four facets, finally having
The gem finished by his most cOmpe-
intrusted TO cutters who have just
completed their apprentices hip, but are
not yet sufficiently skilled TO handle
the larger stones. These are given
only 10 the experienced wOrkmen, who
have the fullest knowledge of their
trade ana enjoy the confidence Of their
master cutters.
The diamond cutter, therefore, Is a
labor contractor, indeed, whose profits
increase or diminish according 10 the
rapidity with which he does his work.
Eliminating the master cutters who
employ assistants, L learned that the
returns 10 the ordinary diamond cutter
who undertakes and completes his
work himself average between SIS ana
e-N per week TOT nine tlOut5 MOfh d
day and no work on Sundays This
indicates a very prosperous condition
or this industry at Antwerp at the
present time.
AS Is well known, the traffic in
rough stones is conferred in London,
as nearly the entire product of the
mines Of the Cape OF Good Hope is in
the hands OF a powerful syndicate
there, from whom the manufacturers
are obliged 10 get their supply. Every
week the mail from the Cape brings
thousands OF earats OF rough diamonds,
just as they come out OF the mines.
These stones are sorted in London into
lots, according TO their quality ana
size, and then offered for sale TO mer-
chants and manufacturers, who, in
order to Judge Of the value OF the
rough diamond. must possess great
practical and theoretical knowledge OF
the article. The principal factors, de-