HOW TO BUY DIAMONDS 351
desirable
goods. When they are really bargains, dealers buy them and pass them
on with a small advance to acquaintances who will buy at a price out of
season, to save money against the time when they will be in season.
Many fine jewels are accumulated in this way by shrewd men of means, at
prices much below those ordinarily paid for similar goods. There are
wealthy connoisseurs in New York who have gems, bought thus, which
they could sell to jewelers for much more than they paid for them.
Diamonds
when mounted appear larger than when unmounted. Even men in the trade
usually overestimate the weight of diamonds in a mounted piece,
especially in cluster work, as the massing of the stones and the metal
prongs, give them an enlarged appearance. Square, pear, and heart-shape
stones are larger than those of the same weight in the brilliant cut.
Beyond
a good knowledge of color, cut, proportion, and the ruling market price
for the various sizes, the difficulties for a trade buyer are not so
great as formerly, when parcels were not assorted as closely. Jagers,
Wes-seltons, top crystals, crystals, top silver capes, silver capes,
capes, and by-waters, are now separated. He must, however, keep in
touch with the market, as prices for sizes vary considerably with the
demand. If there is great demand for two-grainers or any other size,
there will be quick response in a rise of price all along the line of
qualities in the particular sizes called for. Similarly, when the
demand changes for another size, that will rise in price, and the
others will correspondingly fall off. The shrewd buyer buys his sizes
when they are not in demand. He holds them until the time of need
comes,
