Observations on the Losses supposed to be sustained by the Purchase of Jewels.
The expence
of making some pieces of jewelling work comes to a considerable part of
the purchase money; and generally where there is the least value of
diamonds, the expence is the greatest, as when a large number of small
diamonds are employed : when such a jewel is resold, that expence must
be deducted, if it be injured by wear or by accident, or it becomes
unfashionable.
Again,
jewellers must be supposed to have a considerable sum of money employed
in trade, the returns of which are not very frequent; and, therefore, a
loss must unavoidably attend the purchasing jewels, and the greatest
in buying large diamonds, although the expence of setting them be less,
