Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-10-12

lows in line with the rest of the world.
"We have sold more engagement rings in
| the past eight weeks than ever in the same
length of time in our previous history" was
what prominent jeweler said yesterday,
and, "they have all been handsome ones,
too, solitaires of course, the stones just as
large as good taste and the financial re-
sources of the would-be benedict allowed.
No. the style in the engagement or marriage
ring never changes. Some who cannot
afford the solitaire content themselves and
their sweethearts, presume, with cheaper
stones. but the ultra fashionable have
diamond, .io matter how small.
Sometimes an inexpensive ring is made to
do duty until after marriage, as in the fol-
lowing case where young Pittsburger, who
was going to marry an heiress, remarked
while purchasing the engagement ring:
This small stone will do until we are mar
ried, and then I'll buy her handsome one
with her own money
The marriage ring is still a band, but
admits of slight changes. At present the
most popular is the oval band, but whether
oval or fiat it binds, for time at least, Just
the same.
The third finger of the left hand is the
elected one for the engagement ring, and the
young gentlemen who are matrimonially
inclined do not waste much time in trying
to make an impression on young lady who
sports diamond ON that finger. Did we
sell the engagement or marriage ring for the
famous Count Montercole marriage? Mol
indeed we did not; why we give written
guarantee with every engagement ring we
w mt 81
The marriage ring is placed on the same
finger as the engagement ring, and good
taste forbids the wearing of any other on
| that hand.
MARoUIsE RINGS.
| "Among the fancy rings the marquise is
the most popular; the setting, which is dia-
mond shaped, extends from knuckle to
knuckle, and consists of about five colored
stones down the center, such as rubies, ,emer-
aids or sapphires, the rest OF the space filled
in with smal! diamonds. The rings are worn
by both ladies and gentlemen, and fire.
quently combined with gipsy ring. which
is worn on the little finger. Apro-
pos of the gipsy ring it may be
interesting to Pittsburgers to know
the design originated in this city. About
two years ago one of the prominent jewellers
brought them out in plain, polished, gold
bands, with settings of precious stones, but
they were not worn on the little fingers at
first, and ladies only INDUCED in them.
They required some time to gain the popu.
larity they now boast, and the present style
is the twisted wire instead of the plain. The
enameled rings are sold under the same
head and are far less expensive than the
real gipsy, but as 3 fad in all the promi-
nent cities of the Union the gipsy reigns
supreme with both sexes.
sThe Gypsy diamond ring is also favor
ite for gentlemen and consists of gold
band with the stone embedded in it. The
opal is no longer an unlucky stone, for as
the Queen of England regards it with great
favor, SO do we all. A number of college
men are adopting it for their class rings, as
it indicates shrewdness and aptness. The
rarest and most expensive rings are those
containing rubies, for old Diogenes might
have searched almost as vainly for pure
ruby as he did for an honest man,
GENTLEMEN WEAR BRACELETS.
eyes, about 100 in this city have adopted
the fashion imported from England, and
sanctioned by Barry Wall, of wearing for
full dress occasions, a bracelet of coiled
gold on the right wrist. Fashion DEGREES,
however, but one, and allows no varieties,
as is the case with the ladies. The favorite
with them at present is the knife edge set
ting, with either large solitaire stone or
cluster of stones resembling somewhat the
settings Of rings. The band of gold upon
which these stones are set is almost invisi-
BILE, SO delicate, it is yet the very essence of
strength and durability.
"The flexible chain bracelet is standard,
and the paddock is worn a great deal, also.
It is an old English style, and their idea
concerning it is that in presenting young
lady with q paddock bracelet the young
gentleman gives her also the key with
which it is locked upon her arm. If storms
of jealousy, doubt or suspicion assail their
sea of courtship the young lady returns the
key to the young gentleman, and he under
stands that all is over and has the privilege
of unlocking the bracelet from the fair
maiden's arM. In our country the idea is
just reversed. The young man retains the
key and the privilege of using it to free
himself should the course Of true love not
run smooth.
'The bangle bracelet, which was at its
height of popularity several years ago, and
in the manufacture Of which the gold dol
lars were used so extensively, was suddenly
cut short in its career by the refusal of the
Government to coin any more dollars.
While they ragged 20 coins a day was the
average number monogramed by one
jeweler in this city, and nine out Of ten of
the love-sick swains who purchased them for
their best girls would have the word Mizpah
engraved beneath the monogram on the coin
which served as bangle. They are still
worn, but are not common, for it requires
81 70 to purchase gold dollar, and they are
difficult to procure at that price.
A SCHEME OF THEIR OWN.
Romantic young ladies are indulging
lust now in little novelty of their own
coIIad tba aconcea1ed 1ocketo Tt Is a verv