to
turning the jewel into cash again. The diamond was to them more an
article of merchandise than a jewel. Every detail which might hinder a
ready sale, was noted, either to be avoided, or used as an argument to
whittle down the cost. Not educated by familiarity to the more subtle
shades of life and color, their criticisms fell upon the one thing they
could detect, the flaw. As with a man of noble parts his one fault will
be decried by those who fail to appreciate the otherwise divine beauty
of his character, so the new buyers of diamonds refused many a noble
stone because of flaws which could not hide nor mar the magnificence of
worth and beauty. And this general condition was fostered by the many
new dealers. When a jeweler first adds diamonds to his stock, his one
demand is, perfection; his one claim when he offers them for sale,
perfection. He learns the value of other qualities later.
This
critical demand for perfection grew rapidly when the people of the
United States began to buy diamonds. Jewels to many of them and their
forebears had existed only in their dreams of romance and royalty on
the other side of an impassable barrier. When these persons awoke to
the fact that fortune had enabled them at will to possess these
old-time splendors of their dreams, they brought to the buying a
hypercritical taste which knew little beyond flaws. Nor could they as a
class be deceived in a matter to which they had given attention, for
the people of the United States are both sharp and inquisitive. They
soon learned to back their demand for perfection with the ability to
discover for themselves any imperfection, and to-day it is common for
a would-be purchaser, to subject the diamond he has under
