along
the grooves of the fingers, and the value of well-kept hands is
obvious. In this connection I might add that some dealers think it well
to carry a small blue-white specimen brilliant (supposing they are
buying or selling diamonds) in their wallets or set in a ring worn on
the left hand for comparison with other stones.
A
word or two to the possible customer is perhaps not amiss here. When
you are buying a piece of jewellery, remember you are buying something
for a lifetime and take your time over it. Make your purchase from a
reputable jeweller and even then look at it as carefully as you know
how, not only to make sure you are getting your money's worth, but also
to see you are getting what you really want. When you can, buy from a
local jeweller. There are a number of reasons why you should do this.
One is that you should patronise a neighbour when you can. If he has
not got what you want in his window, he will go to some pains to get it
for you, for the wholesalers will be only too glad to supply on
approval a whole range of goods from which to select. Don't be afraid
of making a fuss. If you are a genuine buyer, you have a right to call
the tune. Another reason why you should buy from a local man rather
than from a great glittering store is the fact that you will pay less.
It is you, the client, who pays for the electric lights, the pile
carpets and the gentlemanly assistants who wash their hands with
invisible soap.
When
you are examining goods ask for a magnifying-glass and insist on
looking at them by the light of day and not by artificial light. Make
sure that the stones are firmly