John Mawe

“ The principal object of the artist, when a rough diamond is put into his hands, is to examine carefully in what direction the stone ought to be cut, and where to form the girdle or spread of the brilliant. So much stress is laid by modern fashion on the superficial extent of a brilliant, that the old rules for proportioning its dimensions are now nearly obsolete: the diamond-cutters have almost discarded the use of measures, and, in forming the facets, trust wholly to the eye. ”

“ A superlatively fine blue Diamond weighing 44 carats, and valued at £30,000, formerly the property of Mr. Eliason, an eminent Diamond merchant, is now said to be in the possession of our most gracious sovereign. This unrivalled gem is of a deep sapphire blue, and from its rarity and color, might have been estimated at a higher sum. It has found its most worthy destination in passing into the possession of a monarch, whose refined taste has ever been conspicuous in the highest degree. ”

“ The emerald is so highly esteemed in Europe, that it merits the best workmanship. It ought to be cut in planes or steps, larger or smaller, according to the intensity of its color, with a low bizel, and large table, and set on black. With this work it appears to the greatest advantage, especially if also surrounded by brilliants, the lustre of which contrasts agreeably with the softened hue of the gem. ”

“ To judge of Diamonds accurately, they should be laid loose in a good light, upon a sheet of white paper, on which their purity and brilliancy are bestseen, their proportions ascertained, and the tinges of color, specks, flaws, foul, &c. most visibly exposed. This is the proper and fair mode of exhibiting them for sale.
Peculiar shaped brilliants, calculated for ear-drops, sell at capricious prices and are always in demand. It may be remarked that a dealer going among the merchants to purchase stones of peculiar forms, and ofacertain weight, will have to pay in many cases ten per cent. ”

“ No substance in the Mineral Kingdom displays in miniature such beautiful variety of regular solids as the Diamond, which are as captivating to the connoisseur, as the finest brilliant can be to the wearer. ”

“ Is a beautiful translucent substance, of a bluish white color, When cut spheroidal, it reflects a strong light, which appears on the surface of the stone, agreeably contrasting with the pale celestial hue of the gem. ”

“ Inferior brilliants may be bought very low; I have now a lot before me, in which are some of two grains, for which I would not give four guineas per carat, and roses of the same denomination may be bought at forty or fifty shillings.
Bad discolord diamonds are sold to break into powder, and may be said to have a more extensive sale than brilliants with. all their captivating beauty. In many operations of art they are indispensible; the fine Cameo and Intaglio owe their perfection to the diamond, with which alone they can be engraved. ”

“ The high lustreand exquisite polish which it is capable of receiving, enables it to sustain a competition with the yellow diamond; and so great is its brilliancy by candle-light, that while the transcendant splendor of the diamond destroys the effect of other stones, this is able to support its presence with unimpaired beauty. ”

“ In preparing stones of this class for the purposes of jewellery, for instance, the sapphire or ruby, the first object to be considered is the intensity of color, which must alone regulate the proportion of the gem, and the sort of work that must be put upon it; taking it as a general rule that the beauty of all precious stones depends on the skill of the workman, for, as an inferior stone is much improved by the best workmanship, so is a fine and perfect gem deteriorated and rendered of little value, if finished by an inferior lapidary. ”

“ The color of the Amethyst, when perfect, resembles that of the violet or purple grape; but it not unfrequently happens, that the tinge is confined to one part of the stone only, while the other is left almost colorless. When it possesses a richness, clearness, and uniformity of hue, it is considered a gem of exquisite beauty; and as it occurs of considerable size, it is suited to all ornamental purposes.
In specific gravity and hardness, it bears no comparison with the oriental amethyst; it is also inferior in beauty and lustre ”

“ The removal of flaws is a matter of great importance, for, owing to the form in which the diamond is cut, and its high degree of refrangibility, the smallest fault is infinitely multiplied, especially if near the collet [16] , and becomes obtrusively visible in every facet.— For this reason also, it is by no means an easy matter, at all times, to ascertain whether a flaw is, or is not superficial; but a person of experience will often purchase to great advantage stones appearing to be full of flaws, which in fact exist only on the surface. ”

“ Art of Cutting, Splitting, Sawing, and Polishing Diamonds [15] .
The object of cutting and polishing the Diamond is twofold. First, to divide the natural surface of the stone in a symmetrical manner, by means of a number of highly polished polygonal planes (facets) , and thus to bring out to the best advantage the wonderful refulgence of this beautiful gem; and secondly, by cutting away such flaws as may happen to be near the surface, to remove those blemishes that materially detract from its beauty, and consequently from its value. ”

“ Grass that has been long exposed to the action of the atmosphere, especially in stagnant waters, often becomes beautifully opalescent, and presents a richness of color equal to that of the gem itself. ”

“ This example may serve to shew, that it is not merely because the substance is a diamond that it commands a high price; but because, as a diamond, it must have all the qualities that art can bestow, and be faultless.
There is an extensive traffic in these precious substances, exclusive of the regular trade between the jeweller and the merchant. A person possessing a suit of brilliants may be inclined to part with them from necessity, or other causes. This occurs so frequently, that diamonds to a great amount are continually disposed of in a private way. ”

“ Diamonds from one carat to four or five carats, when skilfully cut into brilliants, lose in the process a little less than half their weight: hence the value of a cut stone is twice that of a rough one of equal weight, exclusive of the cost of workmanship.
The diamond cutters of England are confessedly the best in Europe, but the Dutch have engrossed almost all the trade, as we are unable to compete with their prices, labor being so much lower in Holland. ”

“ Rubies in lots, Indian cut, of small sizes and of different qualities, are at all times to be had, and sell at from fifteen to sixty-five shillings per carat; but a perfect stone of a carat or six grains may be deemed rare, and falls little short of the value of the Diamond: nay, in some cases, rubies of two, three, or four carats, if very fine, are much scarcer, and even more valuable than diamonds of equal weight. ”

“ I received a large fragment of diamond, weighing above 12 carats: one end was foul and full of flaws; I split it off, and discovered the foul was owing to a triangular hole, the sides of which were covered with black earth.
Yellow brilliants, if fine, are generally extremely lively, and suit the purposes of the jeweller in composing fancy articles. When of from one to two grains, they are usually from four to five pounds per carat; being inferior in value to the pure gem. ”

“ As a very large property, both in this kingdom and in other countries of Europe, is vested in diamonds, it may be interesting to be informed, that not only the price of these gems has for several years been, upon the whole, gradually rising, but that it is likely to continue on the advance. At the present time, indeed, and for the last few years, there has been a dull sale of Diamonds in England, nor did the coronation occasion a demand worth notice; but on the continent the trade has been steady, and rough diamonds have been constantly rising in price. ”

“ But it is by no means advisable to apply this test with a valuable diamond, as it might possibly produce a flaw.
Other means of distinguishing diamonds from inferior substances, though highly useful, such as the polarisation of light, electricity, specific gravity, combustion, &c. can rarely be resorted to, except in the laboratory of the philosopher, and are little available to the purchaser of diamonds. The safest and most efficacious criterion for detecting flaws in brilliants, or, in a word, faulty diamonds, is tact, resulting from vigilant attention and habit ”

“ Diamond merchants have adopted a very delicate and highly honorable method of offering polished Diamonds for sale—they employ confidential men, to take: brilliants of various qualities, in separate lots, to the trade; their weight and price are generally marked on the paper in which they are folded. If a particular parcel is found desirable, but thought to be charged too high, an offer a little lower may be made: in which case the intended purchaser is allowed to affix his seal upon the lot, until the principal is made. ”

“ It will be evident that the labor required to form the table and collet, must be considerably greater than is necessary for the facets, as the artist has to work directly across the lamine: hence these are called the hard points. In working upon the other angles, a facet is produced with much less difficulty, it being cut in an oblique direction to the lamine; in fact, if the same force were exerted upon them as is applied to the others, perhaps a flaw would be produced. ”

“ The average annual produce of future years may be estimated on the ratio of the amount obtained from that portion which has been already worked. Brazil may be said to furnish Europe with 25,000 or 30,000 carats per annum, of rough diamonds, which, if reduced to brilliants, may make an influx into the market, of 8,000 or 9,000 carats annually.
The Diamond mines in Brazil belong to the Crown; and any trade whatever in these gems, even the possession of one, is declared contraband, and is visited with the severest punishment. ”

“ The fracture of this gem is the criterion sometimes relied on by the overseers of the mines in Brazil. Whena stone is delivered to them of a rude appearance, both ill formed and of a bad color, they have recourse to the hammer, especially if it exceed in size the Diamonds usually met with; they hold it upon a hard substance, and give it a sharp blow, should the fracture prove distinctly lamellar they are convinced that it is a true Diamond. ”

“ In the great or wholesale trade there is but little fluctuation in the price of those diamonds which may be termed stones in general demand. I will begin with brilliants, from a grain, to two and a half grains each. Such brilliants, double cut, and what may be termed fine, are worth from seven to eight pounds, per carat. Needy sellers may take ten per cent. less for cash; but this is the general average price for a lot of ten, twenty, or fifty carats of well-made stones, if the quality be good. ”

“ Yet, though an experienced judge may, in this case, pronounce with tolerable certainty on the nature of any specimen shewn him, I consider it best to withhold an opinion of any stone when close set, and not to decide until it is taken out, as the most practised eye may possibly be deceived by the various artifices of placing foil, patching that foil coloring, &c. [3] The most simple and best method of determining whether a substance is diamond or paste, is to apply a very fine file to the girdle, which produces no effect upon the diamond, while paste or composition are easily abraded by it ”