THE DIAMOND AND OTHER PRECIOUS STONES. 339 



known by the name of the rose or tlie brilliant. If from u single 

 luminons point, multiplied by facets, we obtain several colored lights, it 

 is evident that from a number of luminous ]ioints more splendid effects 

 will be produced. For this reason the light from a number of wax 

 candles or from uncovered jets of gas is more favorable to the brilliancy 

 of the diamond than that from lamps or gas inclosed in globes of ground 

 glass. Therefore those who sell diamonds would do well to remember 

 that if in exhibiting them they substitute for the one or two large lamps 

 frequently employed, candelabra, containing a number of wax candles, 

 the character of the gem will apparentl}' at once be changed, and it 

 will resemble in brilliancy that grouping known as the parterre or haslcet 

 of fJoicers. 



Whenever I have been invited to see an amateur collection, among 

 which there was one princely diamond, (that is, above 10 carats weight,) 

 I have often given the owner great and unexpected pleasure by lighting 

 on a mantle-piece from eight to sixteen wax candles, thus calling forth, 

 as it were, all the latent splendor of the gem. The reflection in the man- 

 tle-mirror doubles the number of candles ; and if we turn our back to the 

 mirror while holding the diamond in the hand, about the level of the 

 eye, and vibrating it rai)idly, the most beautiful effects are produced. 

 K this secret had been known to Prince Potemkin, who enjoyed like a 

 sj'barite the company of his beautiful diamonds, he would have obtained 

 a much higher pleasure from his favorite contemplation. In the splendid 

 apartments of the Tuileries nothing is more easy to remark than the 

 great difference between the brilliancj' of these gems in the rooms lighted 

 by wax candles compared with that obtained in those where gas-jets 

 are inclosed in ground-glass globes. Walking, dancing, every movement 

 of the bodj', however slight it may be, varies very perceptibly' the ever 

 changing play of the lights of this transcendently beautiful gem. 



It is remarkable that the price of diamonds has remained invariable for 

 several centuries. A perfect diamond, weighing one carat, is worth about 

 200 francs. Double this weight, and you quadruple the price, which is 

 as the square of the weight, so that one weighing 10 carats would cost 

 10x10x200, or 20,000 francs, which would be more than that of a first- 

 class solitaire. Though it does not enter into our plan to speak of the 

 arrangement of diamonds, and the best manner of setting them, which 

 is properly the business of the jeweler, we will say that recently, admir- 

 able effects have been i^roduced, at a great saving of cost, in substitut- 

 ing for one very large stone a diamond of more moderate dimensions, 

 surrounded by eight brilliants of one carat each. Suppose we have for 

 the middle stone of the necklace a diamond of four carats, worth 3,200 

 francs, surrounded by eight stones of one carat, worth 1,G00 francs. 

 We get for 4,800 francs an effect equal to that of a 10-carat diamond, 

 which would cost from 20,000 to 25,000 francs. 



The mines of India, at Golconda, Raolconde, Visapour, held for a 

 long time the monopoly of the diamond nmrket of the world. Of late, 



