[Footnote 22:  H. Clifford Smith, “Jewellery”, London, 1908, pp. 219, 220, 301.]

We should remember that for the cutting of precious stones steam-power was not then available, “man-power” being employed.  A large turning wheel was pushed around by a man holding a bar extending from it.  The motion of this large wheel was transmitted to other smaller ones.  The number of revolutions per minute hardly exceeded a few hundred, while in modern times a speed of from 2000 to 2500 revolutions per minute is attained.  The diamond cutting industry was largely in the hands of Jews in Lisbon.

The gem-cutting processes were not greatly modified for many years after Shakespeare’s death, so that a representation of the wheel and mill used in 1750 gives a fairly good general idea of the modus operandi.  The large wooden wheel, whose axis is the second pillar within the frame, is bent, and makes an elbow under the wheel to receive the impulsion of a bar that serves instead of a turn-handle.  On the right side of the frame, where the boy stands, is the turn-handle which sets the wheel in motion by means of the elbow of its axis.  So that if the wooden wheel be twenty times larger than the iron one, a hundred turns of the larger wheel will cause a thousand revolutions of the smaller one.  The method of holding the diamond in place over the iron wheel, when in motion, so that it presses upon the latter and is polished thereby, is shown in the lower right-hand corner of the plate.

The German traveller, Paul Hentzner, who visited England in 1598, toward the end of Elizabeth’s life, describes her jewelling in the following words: 

“The Queen had in her ears two pearls with very rich drops; she wore false hair and that red; upon her head she had a small crown; her bosom was uncovered, and she had on a necklace of exceedingly fine jewels.  She was dressed in white silk, bordered with pearls of the size of beans, and over it a mantle of black silk shot with silver threads; her train was very long.  Instead of a chain, she had an oblong collar of gold and jewels”.

[Illustration:  FROM A PORTRAIT OF QUEEN ELIZABETH In the possession of his Grace the Duke of Devonshire, K.G., Hardwick Hall.  The queen has jewels in her hair, a pearl eardrop, and two necklaces, one fitting closely to the neck, the other falling over the breast.  The stiff brocade skirt is embroidered with a wonderful array of aquatic birds and animals.  On the left, the cushion of the chair of state is embroidered with the queen’s monogram.  Surmounting the chair is a crystal ball.  The original canvas measures 90 x 66 inches.]

In addition to this display the traveller tells us that the queen’s right hand was fairly sparkling with jewelled rings.