Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-02-05
Some Account of the Costly Jewel
Boxes Of Wealthy Ladies of
This Country.
The Diamond Leads, the Setting
Varying According to the Taste
of the Owner.
interesting Statements of Various His
tOric Gems Owned by tn eMGst
Fashionable Women.

luc uldIIl0Ill& HIS COIlS W stay. 1IS DOpu-
larity is one of so long standing that one
so tickle in every thing else But as there
are only four precious stones. this fact may
account for it, for if the fashion in gems
changed every year, these four stones
would soon be exhausted. and it would
soon be necessary to fall back on the
semi-precious stones.
Although the diamond remains in
fashion, the setting varies little each
year. There Is a rumor that the jewels OF
clusters of diamonds are not going to be
quite he thing as they are considered in,
effective at distance.
A newer fashion is to set the stones in
rows or conventional designs, The Greek
and East Indian being popular, and dia,
mond chain made of links, leaves and
arabesques is favorite design for a neck.
lace. Small tiaras and bands of diamonds
are taking the place the suns and stars. that
nave been So popular, and combs and
single pins are much worn. Jeweled
epauiets seem to be considered indispensa-
ble 10y the woman of fashion for low
gown, while necklaces are quite as often
used to adorn the bodice as the neck.
Probably no fne- private collection OF
gems can be found in any city in the
world than in New York. The Aston
diamonds are famous, and have been for
more than a generation. Mrs. William
Astor's diamonds are as well known in
London and in Paris as in New York, and
are noted for number, perfect color and
brilliancy rather than for size. In Mr.
Aston collection IL a stomacher compos-
ed of a glittering mass of diamonds, a
necklace of five rows of so!itaires, a girdIe,
three diamond stars, a sun, a COMB, a coro-
net anu her famous tiara, of diamonds and
pearls, besides a number of rigns and
bracelets.
Every che remembers the account of the
diamond necklace given to Mrs. William
Waldorf Astor on the occasion of her mar
rage 1t was composed of suns, stars,
pendants and rows of solitaires, the value
being 100000. She has also an enor-
nous sapphire, set in diamonds, as a pen
dant, that flames and flashes like blue
fire.
Mrs. Coleman Drayton, daughter of
Guiding necklace Of diamonds and
amethysts.
Mrs. j. G.. Coster owns a string of
pearls valued at $4,000, and diamond
necklace that belonged to ex-Q Queen Isabella
Of Spain, for which she paid $4,000.
Mrs. Coster had the largest diamond
taken out of the necklace and set as a
ring.
Mrs. Willie Vanderbilt. who is said to
have introduced the diamond sun, has five
of these jewels that she wears in her hair
arranged as a tiara or On her corsage, and
90 4bo,- 4c1
very beautiful. This lady also INDUCES in
the unique ornament of a necklace COM
posed of d single row of diamonds strung
like pearls.
Mrs Hicks-Lord rejoicas in large
number of diamonds and pearls, one neck
lace alone being valued at 100000. With
high gown at her afternoon receptions,
three or four strings of pearls and as
many rows of diamonds close about her
throat, the whole producing brilliant
and rich effect. At another time she wears
her diamond necklace, composed of several
rows Of soitaires, fastened at the throat of
her high gown and festooned to her left
shoulder, where it is held in place by a
cluster of roses and leaves composed en-
tirely of diamonds. Of course she has
rings and bracelets without number, and
Mrs. Leland Stanford is said to hare the
largest and most valuable collection of dia-
monds in the world excepting the crown
jewels of England and Russia. She has
some Of the choicest gems from the caskets
OF, Isabella of Spain and Eugene of France,
and loses no opportunity to add 10 her
jewel box the contents of which is now
valued at 100000. Among her diamond
necklaces she has one of the pale blue tint,
that is preferred to all others. and which
is the most valuable. She also has neck
lace of the rose pink, yellow and white
diamonds.
Mrs. A C. Bettner is the possessor Of
many fine diamonds and pearls, which are
chiefly set as earrings end pins. The not
able pair of earrings is of very large pear
shaped pearls, set in diamonds, and with
diamond pendant. Mrs Bettner's dia-
monds are remarkable for their purity and
brilliance
Mrs. D. 0. Mills. Jr.. has number of
valuble jewels, including diamond neck
lace Of three strings of solitalres, a set of
buttons, three diamond crabs, and pair
of bracelets.
Mrs. j. B. Thompson is the owner of a
IICCNIdIC llloU ouCC S3uSpCu GlC
neck OF Empress Josephine. How many
power were given them to speak.
Nine. Barros, Mrs. Paran Stevens, Mrs.
Oliver Iselin and Mrs. August Belmont all
bave a number of valuable diamonds.
Mrs. Belmont also possesses a necklace of
very handsome sapphires, which are count
ed among the famous gems worn by New
York ladies.
Mrs. Chauncey Depew has well-hllnd
jewel casket, but her preference is for
pearls, and she has a string of very large,
perfectly shaped pearls. Mrs Marshall
o. Roberts has parure of paris that
cannot be excelled, and Mrs. Van Rensse-
lear CTugPr has t rec rings of pearls that
she frequently wears at balls.
Mrs. Adolph Ladenburg is another wo-
man of fashion who prefers pearls to dia-
monds, aDd she is so furtunate as to pos
.ess several strings of them, as is Mrs.
James Beekman.
Pearls were the favorite gems of Nine.
Recamler, and it is well-known fact that
even at the height of her beauty and wealth
she never wore diamonds.
The Empress Augusta possesses some
famous pearls. but the duke of Cumber-
land Is the owner Of what are afknowl- !
edged to be the finest pearls In Europe. !
Perhaps it is not generally known that
many fine pearls are found in America, !
he aggregate value of them during the !
past twenty years being about $1,000 0O !
4 large one, found about thirty years ago,
vas sold to the EN- press Eugene for 81
800. ,
Pearls were the favorites Of the ancient |
Greeks and Romans, who probably knew
title of the diamond. Caesar sent his ar
MES to Great Britain for the pearls that
we're found in the fresh water mussels that