The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-11-23
CHRISTMAS UNVEILS
Unique Designs in Gems and
Precious Metals to Tempt
UnWaTy Shoppers.
LATEST THING in VEIL PINS
Serpent Buckles and Cluster Rings
How to Clean Rugs-"Egg-
Cosies" and Table Covers.

On of the newest wrinkles Is the veil
pin, which has the attraction also OF
being extremely useful, says the
Philadelphia Press. These are uni
versally made in the form of a butter
fly or an insect of some sort, the me-
chanism being in~geniously contrived so
that by pressing the wings together the
feet, in the form of sharp gold pins,
fly together. When the pressure is re-
moved the wings again become full
spread. These little claws fasten the
veil firmly and securely to the bonnet.
An exquisite sample has a body and
head of gold, frightened by tiny, fash
ing emerald eyes, and the widespread
wings are heavily encrusted with dia-
monds, tipped with emeralds. Anothe
design is in the form of a dragon fly,
its wings delicately fastened from trans
parent green enamel, diamonds used in
combination. The workmanship in these
pins is exquisitely fine, and a marvellous
ly lifelike effect is produced. These will
prove to be popular Christmas presents,
and the jewelers. ave laid in a varied
assortment for the trade.
Birds of paradise, humming birds, and
the gorgeous peacock, fiaunt jeweled
wings, and raise aloft diamond and
emerald-studded tails in the face of the
fascinated buyer, and even a diamond
backed crab finds as enthusiastic a de-
voice as was ever secured by a diamond
backed terrapin.
This idea of bird and insect life runs
through all the new designs in pins
| this season. 1t offers. peculiar opportu-
mites for the effective display of pre-
oious stones. A particularly stunning
l affect DC raonhod in Tho rocQ of q SA00
aigrette, which will be worn by a
charming young matron during the OPP
era season. Nesting among the feath-
ers at the front of the aigrette is a tiny
humming bird, who is a mass Of flash
ing diamonds and emeralds.
1t is worth noting. by the way, that
the emerald is being replaced largely
in jewels Intended for evening wear by
what is called the o~livene, a stone equal
in value to the emerald, but whose green
resembles that of an olive.
1t has been found to take on more
brilliant lights under a and electric
Illumination than the emerald, which
absorbs the light and consequently APP
\ pears dull under these conditions.
THE SERPENTS BUCKLE.
Though the season of the shirt waist
has passed, the demand for buckles
| keeps up. The styles in these are quite
different from those that prevailed all
Summer. The flligree designs have
| been replaced by more substantial ones,
made in Roman gold. A favorite pat
| tern is of two serpents twisting in and
out, the heads being heavily jeweled
| with diamonds and emeralds. These
buokes are fastened on heavy white
| corded belt ribbon, or, What is newer
and far more expensive, on a rather
narrow belt of fine, smooth, dead-white
leather.
In rings the opal and the turquoise
fight hard for supremacy. The opal
seems slightly in the lead, but the more
lucky qualities ascribed to the turquoise
will probably in the end win it greater
favor. We are told that, the turquoise
was well known to the Greeks, and Ro-
mans, and that Pliny shared in the be-
lief that this gem was a lucky one,
bringing health and fortune to the wear
er. They a for years been the des-
pair of respectable jewelers., as many
of the finest stones would change color
in the course of a few months wear.
There is in the market now, however,
what is known as the American tur-
auoise, which, while not the exquisite
TCDln 5 6SS UtQS " lis OIlCIldl obohSt
is absolutely u~nchanging in its delicate
blue. In opals the Austrian gem is the
mots used. Its general color is rich blue
and green, and when held to the light
it shows a yellow or sometimes a red
dish color.
The settings for rings are q revival
of the old-fashioned cluster design, pop
ular with our great grandmothers-, The
painted marQuise setting is shelved.
Ornamental combs for the hair are
radically different from those worn last
season when they We're small. and usu,
of tortoise shell and very large. of the
Spanish shape, finished with a hne gold
heading, in place OF the filligree work
used with the amber. In some instances
the shading is formed of half pearls,
and occasionally finished with q jewel
quently necessftate an entire change In
the c~oiffure usually worm
Il pins the Wreaths introduced last
Spring are still the favorites. They are
leaves, the latter having the acorn i'm
reduced in the design. The very new
est thing Is the crescent, very open
and very long, studded with half pearls,
which run out to the very tip. With the
crush collars they are particularly eff
Watches are still very small, and. those
with enameled porcelain backs and open
faces are the most expensive and the
most desired. A charming example OF
these looks as though it had strayed
from Marie A~ntoinette's jewel box, so
perfectly has the fashion of that day
been carried out.
The fine long chains with pearl and
diamond links are replacing, to a large
extent. the chatelaine pins.