The record-union., 1894-12-22
JEW ELS BEND TO FASHION.
Gems, Like Fabrics, Have Their
Changing Vogue.
How to Choose the Costly Baubles-
The Seasons Noyelties-American
Gems-To Care for the ValuabIes.

w omen have Learned How to w ear
Gems-To Care for the valuabIes,
"How do you test diamond ?" asked
a Times representative of a leading
| jew eler.
! by looking at it," he replied. ST
know diamond as you would know
New Yorker if you were to meet him in
Russia or Timbuctoo."
"But are there no tests by which the
uninitiated can protect themselves ?''
mo. Other stones than diamonds will
scratch or cut glass. A diamond when
| filed presents peculiar appearance, but
one who did not know it beforehand
would not be likely to note the distin-
tinguishing characteristics afterward. The
moisture Of the breath fades more quickly
from diamond than from an imitation
stone, but the difference is very slight.
Experts breathe upon diamond to dim
it so that flaws may be more readily de-
tected. There are several kinds Begin
ming with color. A pure white diamond
/ is the most valuable. Next to that a
blush tint is high in favor, because it
gives better effect than other shades.
There Is one peculiarity about this
! blue tint which should be understood by
| those possessing jewels. a plue-white
diamond will affect the color of stones
| finer than itself in the same way that a
| blue-Whlte fabric makes a pure white
looked soiled and blue black causes other
blacks to look rusty.
There are many flaws in diamonds.
| Sometimes they are like tiny blots such
as may be seen in cheap window glass.
Others are like specks of sand. Cloud
| mess Is a frequent flaw. Then, too, there
may be nick OF iufiniteSimal proDOr-
tlons, but such as would involve waste
| tuI cutting or 1t would interfere with re-
| traction from other angles. SO you see
with so many possibilities Of imperfec-
| ton how rare perfect stone is likely to
be, and consequently how great is its
| value.
diamonds will stand rough usage.
! They may be washed with soap aud
water and lett wet without injury. They
are practically imperishable. except by
| fire.
The correct setting for diamond is
| with as little gold showing as posi- BILE.
What is known as the hoop setting that
IS a straight line parallel with the edges
OF the rlng) Is the style at present where
more than one stone is used. The cluster.
such as known few years ago, is seldom
seen.
"a single diamond has come to be
as tacItly as the plain gold circle for the
wedding ring. There are, however, some
who prefer fancy rings, and l have now
an order Tor sapphire set in diamonds.
RuDleS are quite as expensive as dia-
monds and fine specimens are much
more rare. 'Pigeonblood' is seldom to
be had at any price"
wv hat is pigeon blood?" was asked.
ut is peculiar dark, rich red, IiKened
by some to arterial blood. though that
hardly describes it. ii is a sort OF mix
ture OF blood and cochineaf. if Won can
understand such blend of color
The new ruby mines of South Africa
yield stones wholly unlike the old ORR
entail ruby, which comes almost exclu-
sively from Burmah. These African
stones are what cause ali the trouble in
| the market. They have set the fashion
for deep rose pink shading into a red
| that is almost magenta, and with stones
| OF this color it is almost impossible to
| tell ruby from a fine garnet. Experts
are frequently deceived. OF course so far
! as beauty is concerned it matters little.
but it renders the market value of the
ruby uncertain.
''Sapphires and emeralds are the same
stone, but the former is more popular
just at present. That is one of the strange
things learned about precious stones, that
| they are classified, DOt according TO color,
but to hardness and composition The
- V
where massed for ornament, and which
the ignorant would describe as a pale or
grass green emerald, is really a garnet
found IN the Ural Mountains. 1t is known
as olivine, and is strikingly effective.
| - 'IurGuols, which leapeG to sudden favor
| last year, Is going out of fashion, and for
an excellent reason. 1t is really not
precious stone, though it will always find
! admirers among blondes, and is especi-
| ally suited for ornaments for young girls.
The trouble with it is that it requires to
| be Kept with great care. Grease or even
a few drops or cologne will turn the color
to what woman would call "A nasty
green,' and there is no way Of restoring It.
Pearls VIII always be among our most
precious jewels. A fine pearl Is one that
| is perfectly spherical and without a flaw
even SO much as might have been made
by the prick of a No. 10 needle, and it
will have rich sheen like satin. Such a
pearl will never discolor and will stand
almost as rough usage as diamond. A
pearl IS like human tooth. IL is covered
| with three layers similar to enamel So
long as these are intact it is not easily in
lured; but once let the enamel be pierced
ever SO slightly, and decay sets in. Black
pearls are much worn this season. They
are rich but inconspicuous ornamentso
The revival of interest i'll the First EN-
pire has suggested the imperial wreath as
a design for brooch. 1t is made in va
| IL.
! have tiny diamonds between the leaves:
others are set with pearls or pearls and
diamonds. The new collaretteS seem to
demand open-wOrk brooches, and there
are many besides the wreath. The fleur-
de-lis in tiligree and in scroll work is
| noticeable.
Since women have adopted four-in-
hands the stick pin" has become the
scarfpin and necessity of the jewel case.
The most exquisite workmanship has
been brought to bear on designs that had
to be embodied within the limits of little
| more than half an inch. One such is a
! bunch OF grapes formed of eight whole
pearls, the leaf being made of olivines.
a neat little case has been devised for
| these Scarfpins. 1t is made of fine leather
is about eight inches long by three inches
and half wide, and folds in the center
like a card case. 1t may be lined with
silk Or satin. The pins are slipped into
separate divisions, and are kept from in
juring one another by a pad of chamuis
fastened TO one side of the case and fold
ing in when the case is closed.
The care OF jewelry is very simple.
| With the exception OF pearls, it may be
! washed with warm water and pure soap,
| 1t should then be put into lockwood saw
dust to dry. If this is done it will not
need TO be polished.
"What is the especial virtue of box
| wood?" was asked the author already
quoted.
lockwood sawdust is very fine. and
will therefore not scratch what is put into
1t, and, moreover, 1t absorbs the moisture
quickly, thus helping TO give the Jewels a
high polish. lockwood may be obtained
from any dealer in jewelers. supplies. or
could be ordered through jeweler."
Where you cannot get lockwood the
Jewels may be polished by hard rubbino