Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-01-20
WOMEN WHO COLLECT GEMS.

wealthy Ladies who Think Precious Stones
The sa'rst Form OF Investment.
y /. Correspondence If Philadelphia Press.
Wealthy men in society have adopted
something new in the way Of gifts for
their feminine relatives. These are as
substantial as bank notes or stocks,
whereas, in beauty, they are as artistic SIS
any that could be designed. They have
taken the form OF pre- c!ous stones, md
more particularly diamonds. Recently
was shown collection Of unset diamonds
Which weslthy society lady had re-
ceiyed from her husband, who is prom
inent physician in this city. There were
thirty IN the collection, and they repre-
scented New Year and birthday gifts
They varied in size from one carat to five
carate, and We're Of the purest water.
As the lady unrolled them In their
chamois covering, they blszed like 50
many little electric lights.
"My husband" she said, "believes 10
giving me such presents SIS will retain
| their value, and IN case Of need can 81
ways be disposed OF. In this queer world
Of ours, where fortunes rise and fSll wheL
least expected, such collection as this
IS always substantial thing to rely upon.
OF course, he could have gwen Me real
estate, or stocks, or bonds, or many other
substantial or valuable presents, but oil
ot these IRE liable TO fuctuate in value,
whereas diamo, DIS, especially wher 20,
set, are SIS valuable years after they bEV
been purchased as they are 1t first. My
husband has written guarantee from the
jeweler tor each diamond that he has
g. ~, xr,i,s Oh ~ o..
agrees to pay 80 per cent. Of their cost
~ any time That we wis., to dispose Of
them.n
Diamonds, according to the leadiug
jewellers, make one OF the safest forms OF
Investment. They never lose in vslue
even when thty are WORN. s guarantee
lie given With them TO assure the customer
that he has not paid too much for them.
There are very few kinds Of proper
ty, either personal or real, that man can
say IS much for. In every case diamonds
can be sold for SO per cent. st the very
least Of what was paid for them. 1t is
only recently that wealthy people have
learned this fact.
Il is getting to BE the thing now when
wealthy ladies call upon each other Tor
the hostess to chow her guests the pro-
gress of her collection. The gems are
discussed, criticised and fondled. The
fzir ladies are getting 10 be thorough
critics in the matter Of diamonds, and
could give points to many jewellers. They
nave learned to Judge their value st q
glance, and take q great deal OF pride In
their collections. The lsdy who can show
the largest and the purest Jewels is the
envy of all her friends.
sm told that parties where men are
excluded are FIRE quentlv gotten up for the
purpose of comparing collections. EiCh
guest brings hers along. After the usual
salutations they gather in the library and
each brings out her little case. Swapping
is sometimes INDUCED IN, and the tradip 9
is carried on with SIS much keenEess snd
shrewdness IS the husbands CT fathers
display in their own business dealings.
The desire of the ladies' Is to get col
lection in which the diamonds snail h8r-
mon'.e in purity and also in sz3. They
are spread out on white cotton in tie
same manner affected By jewelers. in their
display Of precious stones. Some Of the
collections are very valuable, and several
New York women are reput=d 10 have re-
ceived several hundred Thousands of dol,
lars in this form.
The diamonds are kept / cases Of beau
tiful and elaborate design. Nearly every
lady has private safe in which to LOCK
them. Some, however, who are more
timid and have a wholesome fear Of
burglars keep their diam ,rds Unsafe de.
post vaults, whence th=y are taken only
when occasion requires. Among the
owners OF these collections are some OF
the best known and most prominent
society women. The ladies' of the Vsn-
derbilt and Aston families are known to
have large collections, as is also Mrs
Belmont. As much as possible the lsdies
keep the knowledge of their cole cliors
from the general public for fear OF being
unceremoniously relieved of them BY
| thieves. c. J. Il.