The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-10-27
METHODS OF JEWELERS.
MODERN WAY Is TO STRETCH GOLD
RINGS INSTEAD OF CUTTING THEM.
Inexpensive stones Now Used I'm Max
ing Some of the Most Artis-
tic Ornaments.

The jeweIer OF to-day who cuts your plain |
gold ring to make it either larger or
smaller is a back number. Probably few |
people who leave their rings to be altered |
in size stop to inquire anything about the |
process and take IL for granted that II |
their ring is TO be made larger they must |
paw for extra gold to be added TO 1t, or If
smaller that they must lose in the weight
OF their ring because OF the cutting out,
but all this is done away with by the i'm
proved methods which obtain among mod
ern jewellers, for this line OF workmanship
has made as great advancement during
the last few years as has any other o. the
art crafts.
When you leave your ring to be made
smaller the jeweler simply places Ii IN
concave dish, into which 1t slips until it
reaches that portion to which its lower
half conforms. 1t Is then covered with a
fat bit OF metal and struck blow upon the
top This dishes the lower half of the
ring. 1t is then taken out, dropped in the
other side down and struck second blow,
which makes the two sides uniform and
eondenses the ring to the required size.
When a ring is to be stretched the jew
eler places on the inside a fat roller, and
on the outside roller with a concave sur
two rollers are then turned in opposite d.
rections. thus stretching the ring. Both
processes are the acme of simplicity. and
they not only simplify in a wonderful de-
gree the work of actually changing the size
of the ring by doing away with the tedious
filing and the soldering, but the work of
polishing is also made less. An application
of the rouge brush is all that is necessary
Wbfl ha n
the ring had to be thoroughly polished in
order to remove the traces of filing and
soldering. OF course, these new processes
cannot be applied 10 rings with settings;
these must be cut by the old method.
DIFFERENT COLORS IN GOLD.
The use of different colors of gold and of
stones which once would have been cast
aside as worthless, but which are now reco-
nized as thoroughly artistic in effect If less
valuable when weighed by money value
only has resulted in the production of a
style of jewelry which has more of real
art than ever attained by the use of
plain gold. even when combined with the
most priceless Of gems, and IL is interesting
to know how these different colors in gold
and silver are obtained, and something of
the new jewels which are being used.
The Roman gold which has been longest
in use of any Of the ''colored'' colds, is
obtained by plating the ordinary gold with
coating of gold Oak fine, and scratch
brushing this plating with a brass scratch
brush which brings out the peculiar yellow
color.
The rose-fnshed gold. which is newer,
is obtained by means of this same plating
left applied. A contrast is usually af-
forded by scratch brushing those portions
the background with it's dull rose finish.
The Egyptian finish, which is decidedly
antique in effect, has the rose gold back
ground. but the tracery or the design in
relief is FURNISHED with an electric current
not so strong as that used to produce the
Roman effect, with the result that a green
ish hue is developed. 1t is this peculiar tone
of the gold. combined with the dull rose
background which gives the jewelry thus
treated It's truly antique appearance.
Silver is treated" as we'll as gold. and
no one can question the fact that the
softer effects are more artistic than the
brilliant polish which dazzles rather than
attracts.
OxIDIZING SILVER.
Silver is oxidized by being painted with
en- oxidizing fluid. It is then heated so
that the moisture evaporates, leaving the
metallic substance upon the silver base.
The French gray finish is obtained I'm the
same manner, using a lighter shade of the
oxidizIng fluid. BY this means a French
gray background may be given to an arti
Gle. leaving the raised portions FURNISHED.
and by the application of the darker oxi-
dizing fluid the central figure may be made
with deeper shadings This combination of
FURNISHED silver, French gray and oxidiz-
ing gives a most artistic effect, and is
of the newest combinations shown on toilet
articles, match safes and similar small
pieces.
Genuine gun metal Is iron tempered to
the required color, but most of the so-called
gun metal displayed is simply iron oxidized
10 give the same effect.
OF the new jewels which are used with
such artistic effect this season, and which
were formerly counted as worthless, the
pearl slug stands first in favor. These
slugs are found all along the beds of the
Mississippi. Minnesota and St. Croix rivers.
They are genuine pearls in substance. but
irregular and even fantastic in shape. The
larger ones are used for the heads of hat
pms and the smaller ones as pendants for
brooches and as settings for the many odd
and antique-looking pieces of jewelry
which the designers putting forth.
A close rival Of the pearl slug is the opal
matrix and also the turquoise matrix.
Formerly both the opal and and the tur-
quoise were so cut that none of the mineral
deposit in which they are found remained.
Wherever the slightest trace of this for
eign substance appeared it was cut away
and as consequence large proportions of
these stones were lost in the process of
cutting. Now. while many stones as
possible are cut without flaw or imperfec-
tion OF any sort. those which show the
dark line of brick-like deposit are also
saved. and these. while much less valuable
than the others, also utilized and are
made up into some of the most effective
pieces which the jeweler displays.
j. ID. COWLES
Breaking the News Gently.