The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1914-10-13
THE HAsKIN n
TIE JEWELERS. TRADE
D. Fredericlk .. Hasldn.

N
Considated IN connection with the
great war, It is the attitude of the
American jewelry trade rather than
| its present condftt on. which Is OF most
vital interest. Apparently, the trade
is In confident agreement upon brisk
future business and an increasing
home demand for Its luxurious wares.
jewelers., sales are good barometric.
Indications OF the commercial welfare
or lack OF It, In their communities
The jewellery business depends for Its
support upon general prosperity.
When, therefore, the leading 5eWeirys
of the country are filed with the
spirit OF optimism, despite more or
less annoying temporary embarrass-
nents. 1t is the best omen one can
have Of impending prosperity.
The leading dealers in gems ana
works OF gold and silver have
reached the conclusion that the Euro
pean war will have a stimulating
eject upon their trade. which means
that they are looking to good times
for this country's Industry and COM
rncrce. Tho increased jewetIy sales
Will have to be made almost ent1rely
In the home market, as the war IS not
expected to have much enectipoA OLE
s<po.t trade in thts branch.
~ great conf ....re.. E-Arkets Tor
precious stones and iewelry have
been Completely shut down by the
war. London. Paris, Amsterdam and
Antwerp have practically ceased this
kind of production. However, man
ufacturing jewelers. In this country
are able to do just as high, quality
work as their European competitors.
The greatest diGcufty to the trade
will likeis- be tllut OF obtaining raw
materials. the stones. platinum and
gold.
when shipping conditions become
a bit more settled, our jewelers. Will
probably have no difhculty in buying
plenty of diamonds in the foreign
markets. Should Europe's stock OF
cut and polished diamonds be used
m. one American jeweler suggests
that New York would have the OBJ
portunity to become the greatest
Acknowledging and polishing CEN
ter in the world This industry has
been in the possession of Antwerp,
Amsteradm and London; but since
the war, 1t is rumored. Halton Gar
den district Of London has been de-
serted. while the Rue de Pelican, IN
Antwerp, is absolutely quiet.
The Belgians fear. the Antwerp
demonstrating industry has been
ruined past repair. The diamond
merchants have fed from the city,
some of them going to London to
make the enedavor of re-establ Fishing
their business there. The diamond
cutters and the diamond merchants
of Amsterdam are reticent concern
ing the outlook of the trade In their
CITY. Some Of them have yentured
the opinion that the war will enable
them to gain world ascendancy In the.
diam ond Industry, but. according TO
unbiased trade reports. the Dutcn
workrooms are as quiet as those OF
Lon don.
| The South African diamond fields
supply the world with Its stores OF
these gems. Inc greatest part OF the
South African output is purchased pS
the Diamond Syndicate which takes
| the entire product Of the De Beers
Consolidated Mines. Ltd. This syn-
| dicate, the diamond trust, comes the
nearest of any business organ1za! lon
! in existence to having a complete
monopoIy. Only through the efforts
| of this combination has 1T been pos
sible to prevent diamonds from be-
coming a staple, an everyday wear,
selling at prices but little dinerent
from those Of the initiated article.
The policy of restriction Of OUTPUT
was originally carried out by Cecll
Rhodes. For time, the large pro
1duCC10n OF inc SOuSA <1AA AS>eet.
! threatened to disturb the nice bal
ance in supply and demand which
| maintained diamonds in their super
! Tor and costly place. The mines near
/ kimberley, the Primer mine IN the
Transvaal, and the mines of German
Southwest Africa annually took mil
lions of dollars worth of diamonds
from the ground. Then. there are
small MISUNDERSTANDING mines dot
ted over Cape Colony and the Orange
Free state. The product year after
/ wear has been on the increase.
The mines of German Southwest
Africa. in 1918. had an aggregate
output of $780, 900 carats. An Ant
werp syndicate was formed for the
purpose of taking up the whole OF
this production, and failed. FUR
Their. the Transvaal production mas
developed steadily. In. order to con-
| troll this vast output to the advan-
tage of the diamond industry gener-
| aiyy. a conference of all the leading
/ diamond interests was called a few
months ago. The first meeting OF
this conference was held in London
last June. tentative agreement
4 -. RNaatN RNTNI