BIG INCREASE
IN IMPORTATION
OF "SPARKLERS"
The diamond imports into the
United States in the year about to
end will be twice as much in stated
value as in any preceding year in the
history of our import trade. Figures
compiled by the National City Bank
j of New York indicate that the value of
! diamonds and other precious stones
. imported in the calendar year 1919
will exceed $100,000,000 against the
former high record of $52,000,000 in
the calendar year 1916. Whether
this means that the people of the
United States are disregarding the ad
vice -to avoid extravagance or are
considering diamonds a proper class
of "permanent investment" is unde
termined, but at least it is a fact that
the Import value of the diamonds
brought into the United States in the
Jci ,n c IWIK as
in iniy iireueums year ana wiu as-
gregate about $100,000,000, since dia
monds alone form about 85 per cent,
of the grand total of the group "dia
monds and other precious stones," of
which the total imports in the nine
months ending with September were
$76,6&S,118, while the further fact
that the imports of this class have
been running at the rate of $11,000,
000 per month of late indicates that
the grand total for the year will con
siderably exceed $100,000,000, and
that of diamonds alone " probably a
full $100,000,000. - i -
The aggregate value of the dia
monds in the United States is now
considerably above $1,000,000,000 and
if valued at the present inflated
prices will approximate $2,000,000,
000. A statement by a distinguished
diamond expert made as far back as
1900 put the total value of diamonds
in the United States at that date at
about $450,000,000, and as the im-
portaions since that time have aggrel
gated about $600,000,000, and the
portations practically nothing, the
Biiiuu luuti ai pie-war values would j
be at the present' time rather more
man t i,uuu,uuu,uuu, ana wnen it is
remembered that values of diamonds
have advanced from So to 100 per
cent, during the war period, it is
quite apparent that the grand total,
when measured by present market
values, would not be far from $2,
000,000,000, and would . certainly
reach that figure within a very short
time with the current Imports run
ning at the rate or $100,000,000 a
year.
