Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1888-09-16
MAKING A RING.
HOW fHB PRECIOUS METAL IS STAMPED
AND SHAPED,
Sc. With Costly Storss and Finished for Fair Ladies'
finssn-A Workshop Full Of Oariosihss
Even the Dust is Precious
Z. ". Bar.I.n IN PIt.oug Dipatea.

not gold that glitters' needs to be recon
structed by people in our line of business
and made to read, "sll gold does not gilt
ter" remarked one of the leading msnnfac
turing jewellers of Pittsburg to the writer
In proof of this assertion he exhibited sew
eral pieces Of gold as nearly pure as it car
be, and still be worked TO good advantage
The material looked very much like old
brass, and was so dingy and lustreles'
that none but an expert would have pro.
nounced it gold. Two small straight
pieces, in shape and size very much like
small horseshoe nails, were shown, and
these, the jeweler said: would be trans.
formed into the main portion of finger
ring, after being bent shaped and properly
Joined together. The piece designed Ia
form the top of the ring in which the stone
is set, il separate. II is shaped like tray,
having been given this form by die or
stamp, by means of which it was cut from
q piece of rolled gold.
The manufacturer next unlocked his
safe and brought forth some of its rare and
costly treasures. There were diamonds,
rubies, pearls, emeralds. sspphires, anne,
thysts and scores of other precious stones,
in infinite variety, from all parts Of the
earth.
"We are obliged to keep large stock on
hand" said the jsweler, much larger
than the Eastern manufacturers, who are
able 10 send ont and buy what they want at
any time. A good part of our,,work consists
in the making of badges, pins, medals and
other designs to order, ut short notice, and
large assortment Of precious stones is
therefore Indispensable. We have dia-
monds Of every size, ranging from large
and perfect stones several csrsts in weight
and worth hundreds Of dollars, down to the
merest speck, costing less than half dol
lar. Yes you can buya genuine diamond
for 40 cents, but it won't be large enough
to be remarkably conspicuous. Pesls,
too, we have in great numbers, some larger
than peas and others smaller than pin
heads. The greater part OF these gems are
cut and polished abroad. Even the Cali.
fornia pesrl, tished from the ocean by
divers sloug the Pacific coast, goes abroad
TO the hands of German lapidaries, and is
then brought back to this country TO be
set in jewelry. The greater number OF
pearls found are imperfect, and all such
have to be cut, making what are known as
half pearls.
"We carry, also, q large stock Of imita-
ton stones Every real gem is initiated,
and the mora precious the stone the great
or will be the number of limitations. Many
of the limitations are 80 perfect that only
experts can distinguish them from the gen.
uine. All stones for settings are bought
by Us, cut and polished and ready for use.
They are all graded according to the
French measurement, and the packages
containing them marked with the exact
size of each piece in millimetres. Take
this line Of turqeis, for instance, and you
will observe that each has the same pat
tern running through all the different
sizss. Fashion rules in jswelry, 81 in ev-
srything else. A stone at one time very
popular in rings may go ont of style en-.
tirely 10 few years Hence, unless We
take the utmost care, we are liable to have
On accumulation of costly material on our
hands, with no chaucs of getting rid of ii
until fashions caprice brings it into favor
again"
For weighing diamonds and other pre-
cious stones a very delicate instrument.
known as the diamond scale, is used. II
consists of balances, and is so delicate that
it will turn when weight equal to one
sixty-fourth part Of carat ia placed upon
1t. A carat is weight of four grains; the
scales therefore are capable Of determin-
ing the weight Of any article weighing
one-two hundred and fifty-sixth part of q
grain. The smaller weight used on the
scales are of aluminium, the lightest metal
known, and piecs one sixty-fourth of q
carat in weight is but small, filmy scale
that the breath would move.
The workshop is curious place full OF
ingenious mechanical appliances, of which
the limits of this article forbid an extended
description.
!. Gold coin is put in small crucible,
with fax, and the crucible placed Inside q
covered pot, which is subjected to the heat
of powerful fame of natural gas To
increase the intensity of the heat q strong
blast is produced by means of fan, max
ing constant, even temperature. Along
side the melting apparatus is the anneal-
Jog furnace.
The gold is rolled and converted into
convenient shape for use precisely as iron
is worked in rolling mill. 1t is passed
through grooved rolls of various sizss, one
after another, until it is fashioned into
narrow strips of the desired width and
thickness. There are also other rolls for
converting the ingots into sheet gold.
For stamping the settings for rings
a screw press is used, dies
Of various sizes being inserted
as required. A diamond ring is thick 81
the center, gradually tsperipg in size from
the top downward. A piece Of gold, after
being rolled and cut, is laid upon afhetal
die, and heavy hammer, working In o
frame, and operated by means Of a rope
and pulley, is made to descend, thus CIV
ing with one blow the desired shape To
this part of the ring. Hundreds OF differ
emit dies are necessary for the various styles
and sizes Of rings After the drop ham
mer has stamped the gold into shape it lie
placed in thin, metallic plate contsining
hole, In which it fits exactly, and driv-
en- through by punch, worked oy hand,
thus cutting away the gold adhering TO the
edges, which is carefully saved.
All along the side of the room are work.
men seated at benches, some shaping the
pieces into rings and soldering them to.
gsther, others inserting and fastening the
stone settings, and still Others performing
various sorts Of equally difficult and deli.
cate work, all necessary in the making of q
ring. 10 another part Of the room is q
curious bit Of machinery, which is called a
lavidary lathe and used for shsping or cut
ting down stones when necessary. A round
piece Of metal, shaped like a small grind.
stone, is set in horizontal position aud
made to revolve. To this emery is applied,
and the stone being held against it is soon
reduced to its propsr dimensions II is
then polished on a similar appliance OF
wood coated with putty powder. Another
interesting object is the ensmeling furnace
The article to be ornsmented, having pre-
viously been engraved for the reception
Of the enamel, is placed in q little oven
coated with the enamel in the shape of q
powder. II Is then heated until the
enamel runs and is then removed from the