The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1901-07-12
NOVEL EMPLOYMENT.
New York Woman Who Takes the
Trinkets Of Fashionab1es Into
Her Care and Keeping.

| A woman in New York has In her
possession moro valuable gems and
iewelry than any queen in Christen-
dom. They are not her own, it is
true, but she probably takes as much
delight in them as if they were hers
by right of purchase. She is tho
custodian of the valuables of scores
of the society women of the metrop-
oils. In the season thousands ef dol
lars worth of diamonds, Invaluable
pearls and elaborate ornaments OF
other precious gems must be kept in
condition for use at moments no.
tice. The reason that her popularity
and patronage are so great IS that
every rich American woman owns
lot Of fine stones, and though 1t IS
one thing to possess them it is quite
another matter to keep them ghtter-
ing and safe in their settings, says
the New York Sun.
Ladies' maids nor the owners them
selves are experts at this delicate
work, and in consequence the profess
sional jewel cleaner has oil the work
that she can do. Once a week in the
height of the season she makes
round of her jewel boxes and carries
all her cleaning appliances with her'
When she takes on ne" customer
she shows her first what sort OF case
the Jewels should be kept in. All the
satin-lined, velvet-covered boxes IN
which the jewelers. alluringly display
their wares she frowns upon. Inc
diamonds she wraps in silversmlth's
tissue paper in order that they may
retain their brilliancy after cleaning
and if there is jewel safe she orders
it made alright and lined with pure
wool. The fumes from furnace
sewer gas. moisture and the peculiar
quality of sea air all affect jewels TO
their detriment and safes for holding
the valuable possessions must pc
made proof against these damaging
influences.
When the jewel cleaner settles
down to put case in order she 1as.
tens about her waist a big apron OF
chamois skin, and then opens half
dozen different bottles and boxes OF
cleaning fluids and pastes. Diamonds
in snite of their hardness, must she
saws. be treated with great care.
Though they can hardly be scratcneo'
thew nevertheless do chip and when
rouphlv treated are easily loosened
in their settings, to fall out at Inc
most unexpected moment.
With q little instrument she hrst
tests the settings and then dips the
ring or pin repeatedly into a niue
eau de cologne While she works she
uses a powerful magnifying glass, and
for stone that has an accumuia-
ton of dust or grease or soap on lts
under side, as often happens with
rings. she dips it alternately in soap
suds and cologne, and occasionally
uses q fine, soft camers hair, pencil
noint brush to reach in delicately be-
tween the prongs of the setting.
When the stone is thoroughly clean
it is gently buried in jar OF tine
sawdust to dry out. This is all done
after the gold or silver mounting
has been carefully rubbed with jew
elers' rouge, dried off and polished
with tiny chamois-covered pads.
Besides the care she gives the jew
ell casket of the very rich, this enter
prising woman is highly regarded by
her patrons as a jewel expert, and
often enough she is invited to give
advice when extravagant purchases
of fine gems are to be made: 1t is by
touching a diamond with the tip OF
her tongue that she not only dis
tinguishes it from paste, but estl-
mates the quality of the stone. A
fine true pearl can be detected, she
says, by holding it in the hand and
passing the fingers over the SKIN;
that is, provided the person who does
so possesses an acute sense OF touch
and a great deal of electricity.