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Foundations of the Bridge 241
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the goods either himself or, as is customary, through a broker.
Or,
finally, instead of selling the stones in the state he bought them, the
dealer may choose not to sell them before having had them cut and
polished, in which case he will grade them and send for his lapidary.
When the gems have been duly fashioned, each in accordance with its
structure, and the skilful lapidary has made the most of his material,
the gems are again graded according to size, shape, lustre and quality,
and once more the broker is called on.
A
good broker is worth his weight in diamond dust. He is not supposed to
make a profit on the goods himself as apart from the legitimate
commission paid him by the seller, and unless otherwise agreed on, the
recognised rates are one per cent on diamonds, two per cent on pearls,
and anything from two and a half to five per cent on precious and
semi-precious stones. Whether the sale effected is one for spot cash or
terms—that is, credit—the commission is payable there and then to the
broker, who is not supposed to take any financial risks whatever.
The
gem dealer's tools deserve mention here. They are not of an elaborate
nature. In fact, they are of the simplest kind. For picking up the
smaller stones the dealer or lapidary uses tweezers called
"corn-tongs"; for sorting them in sizes he calls to his aid a circular
brass box filled with movable perforated disks. This constitutes a
diminutive colander and saves a great deal of labour. Then a powerful
lens is indispensable, and for wiping the stones clean there is of
course nothing better than a soft chamois
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