The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-12-04
Rings and Jewels.

Little finger rings are as popular as
ever, and the birthstone is usually worn
in them for luck. AS for the solitaire
ring. it will never go out as long as en-
gagements continue to be made, and the
clus ter rings, as well as the six stones
set in a row. are still good style.
The antique, dull set Il ng is again IN
favor. 1t is almost ponderous, after the
light and fragile "wire" settings to
which our eyes have become accustomed.
Two bison heads, supporting between
th am a cloudsd or star sapphire, or the
claws of bear, olasping burning ruby,
are among the designs. Snakes OF all
kinds are horribly in vogue. flexible
things for bracelets three-headed reptiles
for rings, coiling gold and diamond
snakes for belt buckles and snakes with
wicked emerald and ruby eyes and dia-
mond heads for brooches and pins. Why
this should be 50 it is hard to say.
Women have always loathed snakes with
an unconquerablo loathinR, ever since
Eve came to grief through the wiles OF
the serpent Ii Eden. Yet granddaugh.
tors of that same Eve buy these gold and
iewelled horrors, ana love their contact.
/ t is O id. One would naturally suppose
that snakes would be unhappy additions
to any woman's jewels, yet jewellers say
that many women seem to adore snakes.
"Some ladies simply go into wild
ecstasy over any design which has snakes
for prominent feature" said he, and,
curiously enough, | have observed that
these are usually dark-eyed women, OF
artificial blondes. Few natural blondes
CAFE for reptiles. ~
Which is another psychological mys-
terry.
The'heart lookets and brooches are
going out, even If snakes are coming in.
The few lockets that remain are round
or oval in shape, and ses with diamonds.
But even these are scarcely to be num-
here5 among the popular. The sword
and dagger designs arc also somewhat
passe, though occasionally desirable from
some rare point Of beauty. Earrings are
gaining in vogue, but the efforts made
to put she bracelet forth asa popular
ornament seems to have quite failed.
illustrating the new vogue for intro
ducing old fashioned stones with pearl
or diamond settings is pansy brooch,
the two upper petals Of large moonstones,
the lower petals all euorustetl with tiny
diamonds. The effect is weird, while a
big amethyst Ia set round about with
raised coronets Of seed pearls, very at
tractive and not expensive brooch.
Diamond aigrettes for the hair come in
many dainty scrolls and spray patterns,
and the butterfly, emblem OF Immortality,
has seemed to have taken firm hold
upon public regard for all ornaments in
which it can be fittiugly used. A
dragony ornament for the hair or corsaQe
is still "a favoriUe. The long, thin body
of the fly is set with lovely stones, and
the wings dotted with ru biss and emer-
aids an ong the dianonds. Tiaras set
with stnrs or aunbursts are ever popu IT.
Mercury wings are highly recommended
by jewellers, but most women prefer the
more familiar aspect of stars and ores.
cents Among the hair ornaments, the
white CT black aigrette, with frontage
of pearls and diamonds springing from a
true lovers knot, cannDt bo surpassed
for simple elegance. The j,wels are sci
on wires, SO that they move trembliryly
with eveIysmotion Of the wearer.
Hat pins are more ornate than ever.
and as it ia written that no woman ever
vet had too many hat bins this is per.
fectly safe gift to anyone.