United
States much more extensively than ever before, but it has not always
proved profitable. London is the great market for diamonds in the
rough, and diamonds are sold so soon after arrival there, and the
competition of the cutters of continental Europe is so keen, that
Americans, who have not such ready access to the market, cannot always
make a profitable purchase ; moreover, the recent consolidation of the
larger mines has placed the control of the price of rough diamonds in a
few hands. The trade, therefore, has in many cases been given up, and
among the successful dealers the standard of merit has been raised
until to-day the finest cutting is done in the United States. A large
part of the work done here consists in cutting fine material, in
recutting old stones that were valued in Europe for weight only, or in
improving modern work, and these branches are generally profitable. But
even with a protective duty of io per cent, on cut gems (a higher rate
would encourage smugglers), it is improbable that the work of the
great foreign cutting-centres can be rivalled in this country, since
the demand is for fine material, and large parcels of rough stones
seldom yield more than io per cent, of the best quality.
Henry
D. Morse, of Boston, was the first to cut diamonds in this country, and
the best cutters in the United States to-day received their training
under him. Educating in this art young Americans, both men and women,
was not his greatest work, for he showed that diamond-cutting, which
had so long been monopolized by the Hollanders, was degenerating in
their hands into a mere mechanical trade. He studied the diamond
scientifically, and taught his pupils that mathematical precision in
cutting greatly enhanced the beauty and consequently the value of the
gem ; and his artistic sense, sound judgment, and keen perception
enabled him to carry the art to a degree of perfection not often
attained. His treatment of the diamond gave a great impetus to the
industry both here and abroad, shops being opened, both in this country
and in London, in consequence of his success. In his shop a machine
for cutting diamonds was invented, that did away in a great measure
with the tediousness and inaccuracy of the old manual process. Thanks
to his labors, there are now in the United States some of the best
cutters in the
Flickr
Stumbleupon
Scribd
