The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-01-13
LOVELY FINGER RINGS.
Brief Notes About What Is Swagger
and What Is Not.

New York Advertiser.
While for many years diamonds and other
street wear, it being permissible for them
to make their appearance with dinner and
are aliowg aIns FROM froYg,, l niorni qu eg unfil night iai
The wearing of a ring on the second finger
went out of fashion long ago, and even
the ha~ndsomest of jewels worn there is con-
sidered a mistake, stamping. the wearer
as. to say. the least, decidedly provincial.
The first finger is as bad as the second,
as far as fashion DEGREES, and to the third
and little fingers falls the entire RESPONSE
bility of wearing these }eweled circles,
idea of the third finger of the left hand be-
ing reserved for engagement and wedding
chances and changes of this world" but
as many other rings as can find place on
that finger are also permissible.
Individual preference is largely shown in
the rings worn, and some women give evil
way in which they order their Jewels set.
The marquiSe rings are always favorites. for
they make the fingers look long and slender
Three large stones, two diamonds and a
ruby, emerald or sapphire make a ring
which IS very. popular; Iurquo4ses in every
ing to the hand.
The thin, half-circles of stones, diamonds,
rubies and sapphires, are not quite so much
the fashion as a year or two ago, but are
still much worn. There is a curious way
of setting these stones, somewhat in the
shape of a trefoil, but this necessitates two
rings are in endless variety. and are gen
orally made to order. Very rarely is any
single stone, unless it be a diamond, set
alone. 1t seems now to be a necessity to
have it's brilliancy enhanced by contrasting
Jewels.
~well-known one and almost every woman
has a ring set with the stone accredited
to the month in which she was born. If
the stone, as is generally the case, be not
one of those classed as precious 1t is gener-
a al tb st di # dRoe la no small sbog gol for band ae and n worn
inently. The amount of money that can be
expended in rings of the fashion of to-day
seems incredible and many q fashionable
woman held a fortune on. if not in her hands,
for the fine Lady Fin de Steele will have
none but jewels of the first water, and a
knowledge of precious stones enables her
to detect a flaw almost as quickly as the
practiced eye of a jeweler.
The materials of which wedding rings
have been made are as different as the ma
lions using them. Rings Of bone and hard
others of ivory, copper. brass, lead, tin,
iron, silver and gold come to museums from
sades had inf1amed Europe a custom arose
in France, Germany and England of wear
ing rings, the setting of which was made
from a supposed fragment of the true cross.
In the fourteenth century a custom pre-
vailed in Italy of adjoining the ring with
a precious stone belonging to the month in
which the bride was born. If in January,
the stone was a garnet; in February, an
amethyst; in March, the bloodstone, and
longed to May. the agate to June, the ruby
TO July and the sardonyx to August. For
september was CHOSEN the sapphire, for
October the carbuncle, for November the
topaz and for December the turquoise.
The fancy spread to France, and the
French bridegrooms who could not have
too much of a good thing, would some
times endeavor to multiply their chances
of obtaining the good luck brought by
precious stones by presenting to their la
dies twelve rings, one for each month. In
deed. the use of several rings in the mar
riage eremon is not at all mn
When Mary Stuart was married to Darn
ley four were placed upon her hand. The
Greek Church uses two rings, one Of sill
yer and one of gold, and some districts of
Spain and Portugal prescribe three.
Fashion has, of course. determined the
finger on which the ring is to be worn. and
so much has it varied that the symbol has
travelled from the thumb to the fourth
finger.
An English work on etiquette, published
in 1885. SAYS that it is the brides privilege
to choose the finger for her ring. 1t further
states that some prefer the thumb. because
il is the strongest member of the hand;
others the index finger. because at its base
lies the Mount of Jupiter" indicating noble
aspirations; others the middle finger, be-
cause il is the longest: and still others
choose the fourth, because "a vein proceeds
from it to the heart"
The left hand receives the wedding ring,
because it is the emblem of submission, as
the right is of authority. the position of the
symbol on the left hand OF the bride thus
Indicating subsection to her husband.