Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1885-09-09
ANNAPoLIs MD, WEDNESDAY, EVENING, SEPTEMBER o 1885,
ABOUT PEARLS AND OTHER
GEMS.
Gems of the Sea Which Come Into Pa
vor as the Oyster Goes Out

GcmS OF the Sea which Come Into Fa-
vor as the Oyster Goes Out.
jewelers. Circular.
Decolette ball dresses with no sleeves
at all, and Worth's promise of iow-
ing sleeves next season, explains in
part, at least. the increased favor with
which necklaces and bracelets have
been received in the word of fashion
this season. Single stone necklaces
and pearl necklaces are the sort most
worn by milady on full dress occasions
while gold and silver beads from q
necklace to her liking for afternoon
and reception wear. In the single
stone necklaces those composed of
small but fine diamonds are much
sought after, the stones being mount
ed so that no gold is visible. Often u
pendant containing o ilawless colored
gem of great value is suspended from
diamond or pearl necklace, or it
may be fashionably worn pending
from simple gold chain.
Pearl necklaces are composed of
pierced pearls strung on silk threads.
Sometimes the pearls are graded in
size and color, the more decorative
specimens finding place in the front
of the strand.
Pliny placed the pearl next to the
diamond in value, and supposed the
former proceeded from drops of dew
swallowed by the oyster. Importers
and dealers of the present day, while
they may not adopt
THE DEw-DRop ORIGIN THEORY.
concur in giving great value to drop
pearls of large size that possess the
wonderful polish and lustre character
istic of the gem. Black pearls, when
perfect, rank exceedingly high, as do
also pink pearls of good form. OF
small pearls and such as are more or
less defective in form and lustre, it
may be said, as of inferior grades of
diamonds, ruling prices are consider
ably less than before for some years.
Pearls deteriorate by age, contact
with acids, gas and noxious vapors of
all sorts. This is especially true of
pierced pearls. Various means for re-
storing them have been tried, but ex-
perience shows them to be useless.
The best way to preserve pearls is to
wipe them with clean linen cloth after
being worn, and deposit them, wrap
ped in linen, in closed box or casket
A leading
IMPORTER OF PEARLS
advises that pearl necklaces. which
are liable to deteriorate by coming in
contact with the skin, be restrung
once year, as drawing the silk thread
out and in through the pierced parts
tends to cleanse the pearls. In Cey-
Ion, we are assured on fairly good au-
thority, that when it is desired to re-
store the lustre to Oriental pearls the
pearls are allowed to be swallowed
by chickens The fowls with this
precious diet are then killed and the
pearls regained in q white and hstre
state.
With the present tendency to a
more decorative style of dress and to
oriental effects 10 jewelry, colored
stones, including gems and what are
termed semi-precious stones, such as
the spinels, tourmalines, chrysolites
and the like, remain fashionable as
ever. Among precious gems the
sapphire is the most popular stone as
we'll as the cheapest in price, owing
to a plentiful supply. The emerald,
without flaw, ESPECIALLY if of good
size, is rarest of all, though not so
much of a favorite as the ruby of per-
feet tint.