26 DIAMOND. 
It is usual to cut diamonds into three principal forms, 
called brilliant (Fig. 7), rose (Fig. 8), and table diamonds 
(Fig. 9). Brilliants are, for the most part, cut from 
.such of the stones as have naturally a. crystallized 
shape, and rose diamonds from the flat varieties. The 
former are so called from their great lustre, in conse- 
quence of the facets on both sides being cut. These 
are always set upon a black ground, whilst rose dia- 
monds, which are much thinner, are set upon a white 
foil speckled with back, for the purpose of adding to 
their lustre. Rose-cut diamonds are of course much 
less estimable than brilliants ; so much so indeed, that 
of late many of them, brought from Holland, have 
been re-cut into brilliants, notwithstanding the addi- 
tional expense, and the loss of size necessarily atten- 
.dant on this operation. The table diamond is the least 
beautiful of any. This mode of cutting is only adopted 
for such stones, or rather fragments, as, with a consi- 
derable breadth, have only a very trifling depth. The 
diamond-cutters of England are considered to be the - 
best in Europe, but their number is so small as to occa- 
sion many stones to be sent to Holland to be cut. 
The value of diamonds is ascertained by their weight 
in carats ; and this value increases, in a very high 
ratio, according to their magnitude. For instance, a 
diamond weighing one carat will be worth about 10/. 
whilst another of five carats will be worth 150/. and of 
ten carats 800^.* This rule, however, can only be 
taken for diamonds of twenty carats and under. The 
larger ones, in consequence of the scarcity of pur- 
chasers, are generally disposed of at prices greatly 
inferior to their estimated worth. The value of some 
diamonds that are peculiarly perfect exceeds the above 
* A Carat is equal to four jeweller's grains, seven grains of 
which are equal to six grains troy. To ascertain the value of 
wrought diamonds the weight must be doubled, about half being 
supposed to be lost in the working. This sum must be multiplied 
into itself, and the product by two. Thus to find the value of 
a diamond of twenty carats 20 x 2=40 x 40= 1600 x 2=3,200J, 
