When looking at a diamond, there are two main things people notice right off the bat. The first is obviously the size, and the second is the sparkle.

The size is of critical importance and Jack Ritchie knew how to chisel a stone that got more dazzling as it got smaller. His economy of utterance was supreme. Consider "Travelers Check": 4 pages in which you learn everything worth knowing about two women, their husbands, a diabolical murder plot, its exposure and the consequences.

In order for a diamond to truly sparkle, all of its anatomical parts must be in proportion to one another. This includes the table, crown, girdle, pavilion, and if present, the culet. If all of these elements are in proportion, then the light will pass through the stone and hit the pavilion at a right angle, cut across the diamond, and shoot right back out of the book and into your twinkling eyes. ( )