240 



ORIENTAL COMMERCE. 



[Madras. 



the former/ But if you are not very careful, they will throw one of these 

 stones into a parcel, and oftentimes the largest. 



III. Shape.'— There are stones in four points, stones in two points, 

 and flat stones. 



Stones in four points consist in four equilateral triangles at top, and 

 the same at bottom, being a perfect steragon : this is the most complete 

 shape, and makes the best brilliants, and when sawed in four points, the 

 best rose diamonds, which are esteemed more than others, whether shaped 

 thus, or rough. 



Stones in two points are when four of the triangular planes are broader 

 than the other four. This will make a thinner brilliant, lose more in the 

 cutting, and will not retain so much life. For roses, it must be sawed 

 through two points, and it will make fine roses, but not so lively as the 

 former. 



Stones in the flat, are when the points are so depressed and confined, 

 that you only see the traces where Nature would have polished them, had 

 they not been confined ; and therefore they are irregular and distorted. In 

 cutting these stones, they do not regard the points, but make the flat way 

 either roses or brilliants. These stones may be split rough in these shapes ; 

 they lose more in cutting than the others. 



All Indian-cut stones are called lasks s they are in general Hi-shaped, 

 or irregular in their form ; their substance or depth is ill-proportioned ; 

 some have more of the stone's substance at top than at bottom ; the table, 

 or face, is seldom in the centre of the stone ; sometimes it is of an extrava- 

 gant breadth, and sometimes too small, and none of them are properly 

 polished. The chief thing regarded is, that of saving the size and weight 

 of the stones. These stones are always new wrought when brought to 

 Europe. Such as have the least stain, speck, flaw, or appearance of veins, 

 should be rejected. 



For the valuation of diamonds of all weights, Mr. Jefferies lays down 

 the following rule. He first supposes the value of the rough diamond to be 

 settled at £9. per carat at a medium ; then to find the value of diamonds of 

 greater weights, multiply the square of their weight by two, and the pro- 

 duct is the value required. For instance, to find the value of a rough 

 diamond of two carats, 2x2—4, the square of the weight, which multiplied 

 by two, gives i?8, the value of a rough diamond of two carats. For find- 

 ing the value of manufactured diamonds, he supposes half their weight to be 

 lost in manufacturing them ; and therefore to find their value, multiply the 

 square of double their weight by two, which will give their true value in 



