Ch. 13: Diamond Buying Guide

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	ON BUYING A DIAMOND

	final effect, therefore, is to give the stone a flatter appearance and to dissipate much of the fire. In the United States that kind of faceting is frowned upon, is virtually extinct. A number of importers did not realize the superiority of the American cut stones until the second World War forced them to turn to native cutters. One of the biggest importers, Stein & Ellbogen of Chicago, imported almost all their cut diamonds from Europe before the war and then, through necessity, turned to the American cut goods. They were pleasantly surprised and now have indicated that regardless of future conditions they will buy only American-cut diamonds. They realized, as did other importers, that the American-cut stone is now the most enviable and beautiful of all because Americans have insisted upon sacrificing a considerable proportion of the original diamond in order to produce a diamond as nearly perfect as possible. They have found that American efficiency is not a bar across the path of perfection.

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