The bee., 1883-07-28
FINGER DECORATORS.
something About Rings, Their History and
How They Are Made.

How They Are Made.
The word ring is derived from the
Saxon and in that language denoted a
circle or circular line, bearing almost
the same significance it does to-day.
The practice Of wearing finger and ear
rings is a very ancient one Both are
mentioned in the earliest books of the
Bible, and their use seems to have been
very common. According to Hero
dotus, they were popular ornaments
with the people of Babylon, and it is
probable that from Asia the custom of
wearing them passed into Greece and
in this manner extended over the rest
of Europe. They were also extensively
worn in ancient Egypt and are fire.
quently found represented in the
sculptures and mentioned in the
hieroglyphics.
The Romans, who are said TO have
derived the use of rings from the Sa-
bines, wore them not alone for orna-
ment but for use as signets. Only
free Romans had the right to wear
them, and in the earliest days Of the
republic they were but sparingly used,
but as the people became corrupt and
effeminate they wore more and more
of these ornaments until their fingers
were crowded with them. Some Of
the dudes of those days even had diff
ferent sets of rings for summer and
winter.
There have been various eXplana-
tions of the use of the ring in cOnnec-
tion with marriage. One of these is
that as the delivery of signet ring 10y
the owner TO another person was an
indication OF confidence, SO the giving
of a ring 10y a husband to his wife was
sign of his trust in AMI esteem for
her. Another explanation is that the
ring being a circle, without beginning
or end, symbolizes eternity aud con-
Stancy, and that the left hand was
chosen TO denote the wife'S sub tion
TO her husband, and the third finger was
selected because the ring wa then sup
posed TO press a vein which communi-
Gated directly with th heart.
The gold used 10y manufacturing
jewellers is obtained from brokers who
purchase it in large quantities at the
Cnited States assay Office, 10y which
means they are enabled to make about
one-third of one per cent. by the opera
tion. The gold is then in the form of
parallelogram-s shaped bars weighing
from 400 TO 500 pennyweights, and is
almost absolutely pure. When wanted
for use it is placed under powerful
rollers, which reduce if to plate thin
enough TO he cut 10y lever shears. 1t
is then pla@ed in crucibles and melted,
and the alley, consisting of silver aud
copper, is added, the proportions Icing
varied accord ng to the quality of gold
desired. In gold of eighteen carat
ineness, for instance, there are
. eighteen parts of gold TO six parts of
alloy, while in fourteen carat
gold, hut fourteen paris of gold
is used TO ten parts Of alloy.
The usual alloy is onethird silver and
two-thirds copper, but these propor-
tions are changed to give lighter or
darker color TO the composition. When
the metal is completely fused it is run
into molds, from which it comes forth
in the shape of plate or wire ingots,
the former being use1 in the manufac-
ture of seal and diamond Tings, while
of the latter band and we ldIDg rings
are made
The process of maKing plain rings
is very simple. The wir ingots are
run between rollers, 10y which they are
reduced to the requisite thickness and
shape, that is, flat half round and
square. Then the wire is cut into
different lengths, each piece is bent
into the form of ring, the ends are
soldered together, and the rings pass
into the hands of the polishers. The
polishing is done with brushes COM
posed of stiff bristles and others of felt,
and after this process is completed the
ring is ready for market.
In the manufacture of diamond and
seal rings this process is more complex,
as there are so many more parts re-
quisite to their completeness and per-
fection. When a certain kind of ring
is to be manufactured, the different
parts of which it is composed, such as
out by the foreman and given to the
ieweler who constructs the ring. 1t
then goes to the polisher; next TO the
engrdver back again to the polisher
IL is then ready for the setter, who In
serts the stone or gems, and then for
the last time is returned to the pol
Usher, at whose hands il receives its
final touches.
The shanks and sett ;ngs are cut
out of the gold plate by means OF steel
dies, each pattern requiring die of its
own, and the preparation OF these dies
is a work that re luire5 great skill and
an immense amount of labor, and new
ones have constantly to be made, as
fashions change in rings rs wei Us
everything else and manufacturers are
constantly looking out for novel de-
vices.
Manufacturers are subject to great
loss YEARLY from the fact that SO much
of the gold dust aud filings is lost in
the different proce ;scs, Though every
precaution is taken to render it as little
as pos ible. The floors are swept often
and thoroughly, the aprons of the
wCrkmen are washed on the premises,
and the water, "a well as that in which
they wash their hand, is drained frdm
one receptacle into another until all
foreign sub ,tanc IS have settled at the
bottom, after which the water poured
off and the reSiduum old TO the r.
ffners, as is al 80 the dirt swept from