A CHAPTER ON DIAMONDS. 



mation, and is always set with the table ujd wards. Tlie rose may 

 be jconsidered as formed by covering the entire surface with equi- 

 lateral triangles, terminating in a sharp point at the summit, and 

 it is employed when the spread of the surface is too great for its 

 depth, since, being thus disproportioned, a great loss would be 

 sustained were it to receive the brilhant form. The table is ap- 

 plied to such diamonds as may be considered plates, laminse, or 

 slabs, such diamonds whose shallow depth is widely dispropor- 

 tioned to their superficial extent. The brilliant and the rose lose, 

 in the process of cutting and polishing, somewhat less than half 

 their weight ; consequently the value of a cut stone is double that 

 of an uncut one, independent altogether of the expense of the 

 process. 



The Koh-i-Nur is rose-cut. "When first given to Shah Jehan, 

 it was still uncut and it weighed, it is said, in that rough state , 

 nearly 800 carats, which were reduced by the unskilfulness of the 

 artist to 279, its present weight. It was cut by flortensio Borgis, 

 a Venetian, who instead of receiving a remuneration for his labour, 

 was fined 10,000 rupees for his wastefulness, by the enraged 

 Mogul. 



The word " carat," it is to be observed, is derived from "kuara" 

 a kind of bean, by which gold-powder was originally weighed in 

 the East. The plant from which this bean is produced, is a species 

 of Erythrina or coral tree, of which the common cock's-comb is 

 a familiar example. The species producing the bean in common 

 use as a weight, is figured in "Bruce's Travels." A carat weighs 

 precisely four grains, even beam, as the balance is not allowed to 

 decline. The small diamonds and fragments are sold in the East, 

 by the diamond-merchants, contained in small bags, sealed up ; 

 so that to the purchaser it is a complete chance-medley ; in this 

 way, too, are pearls, cornelians, &c., disposed of at the India 

 House. 



According to the rule supplied by Mr. Jeffries, w^ho Avrote a 

 treatise on diamonds, the value of diamonds is in the duphcate 

 rate of their weights. Thus, suppose an uncut diamond, of one 

 carat, to be w^orth £2, that of one cut and polished would be 

 valued at £8 sterling in the brilliant. At this rate, a cut diamond 

 of two carats would be 2X8X2 — £32; one of three, 3X8X3 

 = £72; one of four, 4x8x4: = £l28; and one of five carats, 

 5X8X5=:£200. 

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