The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1920-11-16
PLATINUM PRICE
MADE METAL A FAD
POPULAR FOR JEWELRY AT
S135 AN OUNCE, BUT WAS
NOT AT S3600

NEW YORK, N. Y-"Platinum,
madam, is quite new"-the jeweler will
assure you when you go to him for
new wrist watch.
platinum, madam, is quite new, is
probably an echo of what some pre-
historic jewe1er said thousands of
wears ago when there came riding into
his cave some prehistoric woman,
mounted on her pet mastodon, IN
search OF new nose ring.
Scientists point to ornamental OBJ
iects made of platinum excavated in
the province of Esmeralda, Eucador,
supposed to date back 1000 years, now
on display at the museumof the Amer
lean Indian in New York City. Among
these are a nose ring, and circular
and eliptical spangles which were
probably worn around the dusky
throat of some prehistoric belle.
Now platinum has reappeared to
take a royal place among the metals
of the world. It, is since the war that
it has become immensely popular, be-
cause scientists discovered that plati-
mum was valuable for the manufacture
of war implements. Heretofore it had
| been used extensively for dental pur-
poses, for spark plugs in motors, and
in the last fifteen years for Jewelry.
While many believe that platinum S
chief claim to popularity rests on the
| laurelS it has won in the Jewelry cases,
as a matter of fact this highly orna-
mental metal is very useful one also.
In making Sulphuric acids it is rapidly
taking the place of other metals. When
it was discovered that its high melting
point made it valuable for use II high
explosives, torpedoes, etc, the gov
eminent commandeered all the plati-
mum for war purposes.
| AS the price of platinum rose sub
stitutes were used for dental purposes
and motors, but platinum still holds
the premier place for electrical con-
facts in war materials. The demand
for platinum, already evinced in jewel
Try, increased during the war, and as
RIssia's supply was cut off, and the
amount imported from Columbia
small prices began to soar. In the first
part of 1911 platinum was worth
$1,000 a troy ounce. Today it is bring
ing $135 troy ounce.
jewelers. say the increased price has
met with increased demand in the case
: of jewe1ry. The white metal with the
grayish tinge, less brilliant than sill
yer, but taking high polish, has
found widespread favor, especially
since it can be finely spun into the
most delicate designs.
| 1t gives the diamond a winter radi-
ance is very malleable and not attack
ed by any natural acid which leads
| jewelers. to declare that it is the SOW
ereign metal of the future
While the whole country is being
raked and secured for platinum, it is
interesting to cast an eye backward to
the Columbian gold fields, where the
platinum separated from gold in the
blowing process was cast into the
streets or blown in cracks in the build
ings because it was regarded as waste.
OF recent years jewellers in Columbia
have undermined their homes and more
than one snug fortune has been dis
covered in the shape of tiny grayish
fakes in the crevices of buildings.
The discovery of Platinum in Europe
dates back to 1885. In the first half
Of the last century platinum was used
in Russia for currency. A platinum
ruble represented so cents in currency.
Today the platinum in the ruble is
worth $500.