The original Ideal Cut

[dkodner]

Hello all,

As I recently moved, I am still unpacking boxes at home, and made it to my (small) book collection the other night. I pulled a rare book out that I thought Pricescope regulars might enjoy seeing. So I snapped some pictures. I am posting just a couple, I took a few more of the pages I can post if this interests anyone. What book you ask..? This is a first edition Marcel Tolkowsky Diamond Design. The original idea of ideal proportions for the brilliant cut round. Since this forum is very cut oriented, and there seems to be some very interesting (if not heated) discussions about what is an ideal cut, I thought you all might get a kick out of seeing where it all began. The book was published in 1919. We in the jewelry business have been arguing it''s merits for the last 90 years. I hope you enjoy.

 

[dkodner]

here is another....

 

[dkodner]

even a pull-out.....

 

[dkodner]

last one for now...

 

[Lorelei]

dkodner, thanks for sharing that treasure with us!! Any tid bits you can post from the book would be much appreciated.

 

[jasper]

dkodner,

Thank you for posting the scans.

I have posted the full text (and illustrations) of Diamond Design on my website:
http://www.folds.net/diamond/index.html

As you know, the pullout is figure 35, and summarizes half of the book:
http://www.folds.net/diamond_design/index.html#fig_35
or the Java program at the top of my summary of Diamond Design.

Your copy is in better shape than the public library copy that I transcribed.
Do you have any other old diamond books?

-- Jasper Paulsen
-----------------
http://www.folds.net/diamond/index.html

 

[jasper]

If you notice any errors in my transcription of Diamond Design,
please let me know. I will be happy to fix them.

There should not be many transcription errors left.
I did not rely on Optical Character Recognition.
Instead, I hand-typed it. A couple of people
(including myself and Beryl) have gone through it
with a fine-toothed comb. Any remaining transcription
errors are my fault.

-- Jasper
---------
[email protected]
http://www.folds.net/diamond/index.html

 

[kcoursolle]

Thanks for sharing, this was quite interesting!

 

[dkodner]

Jasper,

GREAT website. Fine work. I have only had a quick glance at it, and of course had to play a bit with your java app. I will take a closer look later and check the text, but I have no doubt you are right on. I am impressed with the public library that had even a bad copy of it. I am always careful not to give too much of my personal opinion about the contents of Tolkowsky''s book. I do not want to get into the heated debates of cut, and what constitutes ideal. I think there is a long way to go to understanding individuals perception of light, and thus what constitutes calling something ideal. I have learned more from Chapter 6 of Stephen Hofers book "Collecting and Classifying Coloured Diamonds" about light and color traveling through a diamond than I have anywhere else. As for more old gem books, my favorite so far is a book called Gems, by Helen Bartlett Bridgman, published in 1916. She writes more eloquently about gemstones than most. Here is the first few sentences of her book, it will show you what I mean.

"Gems in their appeal are like stars. They enchant the eye, they stir the imagination. Then as with cats and clocks, they are "company."
A valuable stone is the one thing that endures. Lace is soon a rag, velvet impossible, flowers dead; but a jewel, if treated kindly, lives forever. It is indeed almost as indestructible as truth or a mighty love."