The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1913-08-08
WANT PINK PEARLS
Fashion Leaders Demand the
Expensive Rare Variety.
Custom House Figures for Recent
Months Show Increased Imports
Of Rare Gems-Deaiers Dis
count the Duties.

New York.-The high cost OF living
American people for diamonds and
other precious stones. The imports
Of gems to the United States il the
fiscal year ending with June will
amount to more thar $780, 900 900. ac-
cording to an estimate made by a
Maiden lane authority, who bases his
prediction on the total gem receipts
at the port of New York in the first
eleven months.
The appraised value OF the dia-
monds and other precious stones that
have already passed through the New
York custom house is $43,6S6,2S0
accommodating figures for a similar
period in any year. The figures for
this yea are estimated at $4,000, 600.
Fear on the part OF the big New
York gem importers that they will
have to pay a higher duty on gems
under the new tariff bill has caused
them to rush in large quantities Of
diamonds and other precious stones
since the provisions of the bill be-
anne known. Ia May the receipts
sotaled 81, 606. 1923, record-breaking fig
ares for that month. In April $685.
6S1 worth Of gems passed through the
appraisers stores. The figures for
March reached s4,341,179. February
receipts totaled 81. 299, 435, and in Jan
uary s3,S99, 995 was the appraised
value of the gems imported. Under
the present tariff schedule the cut
gems are dutiable at ten per cent,
and there is no duty on the rough
product. The Underwood bill pro-
vides for a duty Of 20 per cent on
The New York gem merchants, work
Ing through their association. are
fighting for a retention of the present
schedule.
In the fiscal year which ended on
June 80, 1912. the importation Of gems
to New York amounted to s39,445, 2s5,
Of which amount the cut precious
stones and pearls are reported by
Jewelry Examiner William B. Tread
we'll at s29. 261, 794, and the uncut
stones, principally diamonds, at $10,-
1S3, 491. In 1911 the total reached
$28,374,S91 and In 1910 the highest
previous record was made when the
imports in 1907 were $~41.112,371 and
in 1906 $4O.217.542. which are the
only fiscal years which have reached
the 100000 900 mark.
There has been a tendency on the
part Of the De Beers Consolidated
Mines to increase the price Of dia-
monds during the year now ending,
and there Is now present a large num-
Der of New York dealers in the Euro
pean markets who report that they
have difficulty In getting gems suit
able for the American market.
There has been a marked increase
In the demand for colored stones, and
fine Ceylon sapphires of 10 and II
carats have been sold at from $500 to
$500 a carat. which is an enormous
increase in price since the beginning
OF the year. These gems are the most
fashionable at present and it is pre-
dicted that fine sapphires will soon
rank next to emeralds if they do not
surpass them in price. One reason
for this is that there are no fine sap
phires coming to the market and only
the reserve stock is being offered at
high prices.
The demand for fine pearls has
been unprecedented In the last year
and there are at presnt few desirable
gems Of this kind offered to Amer
lean dealers. The increase In the
price OF these gems has been phenom-
email. Ludwig Nissen. a New York
gem dealer, on sailing recently for
Europe, said fine large pearls from
five to fifteen grains In weight have
advanced at least rs per cent in the
last fifteen years, and exceptionally
fne pearls have shown a much great.
y increase. He said that the reason