In 1750, the price of the stone in Europe was $40 for one-karat gems. This was just before the discovery of the Brazilian mines. The sudden influx of the gems reduced the price shortly after to $5 per karat; but the market soon recovered from the panic, and in 1791, at the time the inventory of the French jewels was made, the price had arisen to $30 for the same class of diamonds. Since this period, the prices have varied, from the influences of the wars of Europe, sinking at the time of the disturbances of the Revolution of 1848, to $20 and $25 per karat. But after the year 1850, the price of the gem steadily advanced, and in 1865, its quotations were almost the same as that of Venice in 1606. This comparison, however, should not be made without remembering the vast difference in the value of money of the two periods. The valuations of the diamond for more than a century past have been based upon the form of the brilliant, while those of the star, table, rose, and others, have been valued at lesser and sometimes almost nominal prices. The price of the rose diamonds has been affected by the views of fashion for a long time, and at the present day we are unable to establish any fixed scale. We will, however, append the views of some of the gem experts as to the valuation of this pattern, during the past two centuries. Robert de Berquen, in 1669, valued the rose cut of 1 karat at 100 francs. ” 2 ” ” 500 ” ” 4 ” ” 1,500 ” ” 8 ” ” 6,000 ” ” 10 ” ” 9,000 ” This estimate, however, was not founded upon any principle; and it was not until the celebrated Tavernier formed his rule for the valuation of the rose cut, that the diamond had any definite value. Tavernier, in 1692, took for an example a rose of one karat, of fine water, white, and of good form, and fixed the valuation at 150 francs, and for gems of greater weight multiplied this figure by the square of their weight. The justly celebrated jeweller and traveller also followed the same rule with fine diamonds that were not of regular form. The brilliant cut was not then known. In 1858, in France, the comparative values were: for one karat, fine brilliant cut, 300 francs; for one karat, fine rose cut, 200 francs. The following list has been kindly furnished me by Henry D. Morse, Esq., of Boston, as giving the value of diamonds in the United States at the present time, January, 1884. The prices have fluctuated considerably during the past year, and the estimates given are wholesale prices, and regarded as being quite low for fine stones:-- Lots averaging ¹⁄₂ karat each, $60 per karat. ” ” ³⁄₄ ” ” 80 ” ” ” ” 1 ” ” 100 ” ” ” ” 1¹⁄₄ ” ” 110 ” ” ” ” 1¹⁄₂ ” ” 125 ” ” ” ” 1³⁄₄ ” ” 145 ” ” ” ” 2 ” ” 175 ” ”