The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1879-10-30
Imitation LeMelrY.

Some of the limitations are admirable,
it must be owned. A gold watch case,
eighteen carats fine, costs fifty dollars;
another, fourteen carats fine, can be
bought for half the money; and third,
four carats fine for ten dollars; and
nothing but comparison reveals any
difference between the three to inexpe-
rienced eyes. Bracelets in gold plate
finished in dozen different ways, bur-
nished, fretted, or faceted, cost less than
those of real tortoise shell, and would
deceive anybody when worn. Lace
pins, cuff pins, rings and earrings are
made at Attleboro in Providence, and
New York, in the same patterns used by
the best jewelers., and, although not so
well finished in minor detail, have no
imperfections that can reveal them
selves to ordinary inspection. Until
very lately it was impossible to make
the variegated leaves used on lace in any
thing but good gold, but they are now
produced in cheap alloys, and method
has been discovered for applying enamel
to inferior gold.
In many cases, the stones used in the
cheap sets are real; fine mosaics, ame-
| thysts of great clearness, and excellent
onyxes being set in gold of quality so
poor that whole set costs very little.
In other cases, even the stones are false,
and one can buy set of what seem to be
| initial onyx sleeve buttons set in gold for
less than it would cost to cut the stones
if they were real. Second quality onyx,
having the upper layer of uneven thick
ness is used in SO -ie of the cheap seals,
and in Others blood stone is placed on
one side and a bit of glass on the other.
The seller who means to cheat is enthu-
siastic over the beauties of the real
blood stone, and the innocent buyer does
not think to ask about the glass. Still
another deceit is seen in large seals of
pressed glass, apparently cut elaborately,
but really representing no more work
than pressed glass tumbler; micro
scope would betray the cheat at once,
but ordinary buyers do not go about
armed with microscopes, and do not
wish to be oblie ed to do SO. Diamond
pins with solid backs are of doubtful
perfection always, but some of the new
pins have Il pit of silver foil set behind
the fragment of glittering glass that
serves for stone, and are more decep
tive than the dull stones worn by some
men who seem to think that they will
be respected if they appear to have spent
three years salary on an ornament.
As has been said, there is no way Of
distinguishing between good and cheap
jewelry when worn. but there are few
details to which buyers should look
sharply, unless they have perfect conf
dence in the house with which they are
dealing. Watch cases usually have the
name of the firm selling them engraven
on the inside, unless they are of poor
quality. Good bracelets are as we'll fin
ished close to the hinges as anywhere
else. Fine brooches have good strong
pins on the wrong side. Engraved or
fooled surfaces are more deeply indent-
ed in gold jewelry than in that which is
plated, and FURNISHED surfaces on cheap
goods are likely to be scratched, because
they are more carelessly kept than those
which are more expensive. There is a
very slight difference in the color of the
two classes of jewely. but it only re-
reals itself on comparison. Large size
is danger signal in earrings, and false
diamonds ought to warn anybody from
buying by their setting.
The demand for the cheap jewelry in
creases almost daily, many of the new
styles being so fantastic that even those
who are determined to wear them hesi-
tate about paying much for them, pur-
chase them in cheap materials and throw
them away when tarnished. This course
is expensive, but if q man or woman can
afford it nobody is injured by it texcept
the person who yields to the desire to rs.
sumo the appearance of wealth that ho
has not. But nobody wants to be cheat
ed, and he who buys cheap .jewelry of il
responsible persons is tolerably sure to
waste his money.--Bostou transcript.