The New York herald., 1862-10-20
THE JEWElRy BUSINESS.
The War and DIamonds-The ShOddy
Aristocracy and Their Luxurtes, dc.

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The War and Dlamonds-The shoddy
Aristocracy and Their Luxurtes. &c.
When every trade, save those directly or indirect
ly dependent on the war, is at stand stil IT is
curious 10 note the activity prevailing in the
iewelry business. Orders have been more nume
customers more liberal than now: the
pensive articles ind ready sale and everything ndi
Gates the existence OF a moneyed clNs among who
unaffected by the present Crisis aud who scarcely
iee the pressure of national burden. The war,
which has impoverished many has enriched some. and
these rich spend money with i,,soac1nce
elloas to contemplate. The army of hungry con
tractors which the government has let loose upon the
community have suddenly been transformed into mer
chant princes artistic in their tastes and refined their
habits. Shoddy men, who grew rich BY . trans
parent swindie-by making the government pay
fabulous prices for manufactured rags, which
they called army clothhave sweled the OF thee
new and rivalled them extravagan expenditure
These the who have filled up the left in
the of American arstocracy by the failure of
their Goldfish predecessors They sink shoddy and affect
style, and standing their money bags, fondy imagine
they head and shoulders above their bets,s iav-
ing lined their pockets by heecing and foong the
government and its brave, unpaid defenders the
der takes s place among the elect Of fashion and pays its
footing No class spends money recklessly reaz
ing the old maxim, casily got and easily gone They
paironze first class jewelry establishments, and fur
nsh their houses in the most spmptuous manner. This
accounts for the strange fact that in the midst Of eso
aiing civil war; and the verge of axaton business
which its origin 10 luxury should be 6ourshng
Indeed the Of ewery sold during the past
is something remarkable; and equally active the de-
mand Tor silver and bronzes One would have ex-
peced that the threatening condition Of the times wo1d
have counselied economy and that, il taste FOR orna
siir lnged, ii would be with moderation that
inexpensive rials would be sought for, and that
return Il tastes would be Of the consequences
-oi civil But such s not the clse. Ler any
doubt Ill inspect the stock the different jevelry
establishmc.:s New York have on hand now, before
the holiday season sets in, and satisy himself this
point Lei him walk through Tiffany Ellis and Ha!l 4
Blscki and he will ind tnat the assortmcns 10 both
places indicate no fear Of retrenchmen He will look in
FOR cheap styles jewelry every side he will see
priceless gems and costly articles of bioute-pcarls
amethysls and ruoes diamonds that fash Ike light and
enerads green r.sh meadow In the spring time
Fashions change in jewelry well as in dress and its
changes deserving Of record but change OF fashion
alter the relative value Of the gems employed
Diamonds always superior TO pearls and rubies 70
cornean The only thing that adds TO the intrinsic value
of precious stones scarcity and this is that is making
The emerald more eagerly sought for and more highly
pzcd day by day The difficulty OF procuring emcrads
may be estimated BY the in price, for WIN, for
merly sold for five dollars costs fty dollars;
and n the New Granada mines do not yield fresh supply
there is every probability that omcrads win go up still
further. Al present they bid fair 10 become as
as the ruby. OF late the onyx, the stone Of
s,onesn II called in the Bible, has been used exen
sively by jewelers. and combines beauty with sim
plicity, should be higher favor than s What its
own unssss,ed merits however, could not accomplish,
r.
rsny's brooches and sleeve but,ons OF onyx, crused
over with diamonds that might please a aud At
be same time satisfy taste and others more
beautiful s,ll which hela the depressed centre single
amond that glstened like dew drop In the heart
over. in the same establishment saw a diamond
brooch worth thousand dollars having large central
surrounded by o smaller whose dazzling
hriancy enhanced by being brought into contact
with the soft moonlight radiance Of the pearl We saw
violet ame,hysts and sapphires blue the summer
SKY; we frosted and FURNISHED silver ware
bronzos graceful and grctosque, swords for and
swords for ornament sken nags and antique looking
toilet ornaments Of the true resars color-every.
thing that could sratiy refined tasiebu no appear.
o common cwcry and indications OF furlng sail
in anticipation Of storm. In Ball Blacks there was
the same state Of things, the pro.uslon or fret
class articles the Of business and tho same in
difference the crisis. The silver was unique and
beautiful and the display gems wonderful Among them
was q diamond ring of the purest water worth ten thou
sand dollars, which gltered like a star and brooch
ormed Of pure and perfect chrysaite, whose pa
green surface exquisteiy engraven womans head
bfeastpin Of Partisan workmanship, circular in form,
the edge studded with pearls diamonds lateral bar
e gold, clasped with diamond, that open and reveal
miniature within, graceful novelty the idea worthy
4 French fancy and the workmanship worthy Of
Trench skill Beside this was another, similar
10 design and 6nished with equal delcscy, but
home made. In the same establishment were
beautiful specimens Of onyx jewcIry, the de-
sgn formed 10 diamonds, thrown out in strong re
lief by the dark polished ground and combs inlad
With gold and gems, and heavy with pendants still new
enough 10 be admired and expensive enough 20 satisfy
those who judge an article by It's cost
The prosperous condition OF this branch Of auufac
ure, In face q an oppressive tariff and an sxhaustng
war, while others Of every day necessity are angnshng
Is an anomaly that might well challenge attention. II
pgoycs however one thing conelusiveiy-hat there s
peny of money the country ,ha, the people have
abiding faith IN its resources. II proves however more
e,ncusvey stl that has changed hands apJ ia,
grain contracts contracts and shoddy cont ara
army contracts of all sorts have built np new caee -
men whose Taient ~ nobility ycvernment cor,raf
and who. when laying W tcct cf nxrfiee bgd ID be-
ssu at tte bsGrpiEg