The record-union., 1898-01-20
JEWELS OF THE DAY.
Latest Fashion in Arrangement
and Setting Of Gems.

There are certain fashions in jewelry
which, like the laws of the Medes and
PersianS, alter not. From time i'm
memorial the first favorite among the
gems has always been the diamond, and
it seems as though this empress Of all
precious stones would never be de-
throned, or asked to occupy a less proud
position than that which she now most
undoubtedly holds in the world of jew
els.
The stiff and conventional arrange
ments of the stones which at one time
characterized diamond necklaces, brace
lets and tiaras is happily now a thing
altogether of the past. The necklaces
of to-day are designed in a truly art
istic fashion, and in many cases the
| diamonds are arranged in such way
that the setting is practically invisible,
the stones appearing to rest, without
any support, on the bare neck.
AS to the long pearl chains, "age cam
| not wither them, nor custom stale their
infinite variety They are, in fact,
being better worn than ever, in pearls
of all sorts and sizes, and chains of
varying length and form. Sometimes
they are caught up on to the corsage
here and there with small diamond or
naments, and at others are allowed to
droop and wander at their own sweet
will over the front of the gown. Very
smart also are the pearl dog collars,
consisting sometimes Of as many as
nine rows of pearls linked together by
diamond clasps of elaborately beautiful
workmanship.
Flexibility is still the keynote of the
newest designs, some Of the flexible
bracelets in diamonds and rubie5 being
particularly effective. Narrow bands
of the two stones are sometimes linked
together, as it were, in the form or
intertwined ovals; while in other cases
the flexible bands of diamonds are set
here and there with single sapphires or
emeralds. A very beautiful corsage or
nament of flexible construction, which
is entirely novel in design, represents
long spray of ivy foliage, with here
and there a cluster of ivy berries car
ried out in pearls. Another ornament
of a somewhat similar description rep
resents marguerite daisies, in graduated
sizes, a single pearl being placed IN
the center of each diamond flower.
Opals are being very much used this
season, and it really seems as If the
old superstition about the bad luck
which they are supposed to bring had
at last died out. Opals always look
to the best advantage when they are
set rather lavishly with diamonds, and
an opal necklace, in which there was
a kind of background composed of a
scrollwork of diamonds, with large
opals, of oval shape, at intervals all
round, and then below the diamond
scrollwork some six or seven opal pend
ants, was very beautiful. Some OF
the few stiff bracelets and bangles,
which are still being made for those
who prefer them, are set alternately
with orrals and diamonds, while on 9TH
ers very large emeralds and turquolses
may be seen.
Emeralds are still being worn, OF
course, and do not seem likely ever to
so out of fashion, although they are
not quite so much in demand just now
as the turquoises, which appear In va
rious guiSes on much of the newest
iewelry. A small diamond brooch, for
instance. in the shape of an ostrich
feather, is set with one large turquoise.
Just where the feather curlS over at
the end. Turquoise pendants, with an
encourage of diamonds, are also very
much in request. while necklaces are to
be seen frequently with large turquolses