The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-09-14
GREAT REVIVAL
N jENELRY
Precious Jewels With Which
Public Is Unfamiliar.
PERiDAT AND JARG00NS
More Brilliant Than Diamonds
and COstlier,
PERiDAT AND JARGOONS

THE good Rabelais'' recommended his
hero to give himself curiosity to the study
of nature. including therin the precious
stones that are to be seen in the east
and south of the world" 1t was excel
lent advice. but one is interested to know
what stones the old philosopher deemed
precious. Could he have told the jewels
in the breastpIate OF the Jewish High
Priest? Did he know the peridot, the
anatase. the chrysoprase. or was his
knowledge limited, as it is generally to-
day. TO the rather obvious charms of the
diamond, sapphire and opal?
In all times intrinsic or market value
has determined the popular idea of the
word precious as applied to stones. The
average man looks upon his wife's dia
monGs as q. form OF investment. The more
diamonds she owns. and the larger and
more Eawless they are. the more secure
he feels about the money he has put into
them Women themselves buy their pewei
NOT as they buy their gowns, with
AToper regard for their beconingness, but
Wiapiy with a view of wearing something
costly and brilliant.
This is partly the fault of the jewellers.
Up to a few years ago the ancient art
of combining gems languished i'll sleep
OF three centuries. The exquisite crea-
tiOns of Cnque-Cento goldsmiths We're
forgotten in obscure corners of museums.
The revival which began about dozen
zoo l,-..lr wee olorr- difior,Tt
fair The introduction of a little-known
jewel, no matter how beautiful is not
easy a buyer is shown a necklace. of
pale straw -coIored stones, with dazzling
reflections of white light, and goes into
ocstacies over the yellow diamonds, as
she calls them.
But these are not diamonds" says the
jeweller, honestly proud of his work.
They are white topazes from Brazil ex-
tremely rare"
The buyers face changes. "Oh, show |
me something with real diamonds"
This is gradually changing, however, |
and a cult for rare and novel jewelry |
has sprung up among the wealthy and
the artistically educated classes. The best
jewellers now employ designers. verita-
bic artists, who not only have a scientific
acquaintance with precious stones but
know how they should be associated in
relation to their color, lustre and sub
stance
Their creations are jealousy guarded
from the gaze Of the multitude. They are
never shown in shop windows. Buyers are
conducted into a small room apart, and
aces. rings, bracelets in all colors Of gold
md enamel, rich with gems, the very
lames of which are unknown except to
ne eonnoisseur. None Of these pieces ex-
st in duplicate. Each one is a work of
at which the designer would find it i'm
possible to repeat
Here is "a necklace in a design which
night haze been suggested by some ten
rillike vine. The sold is hidden under
sparkling enamel, set with fine lines of
mail diamonds. At intervals. Ike fruit
z berries of the vine. are strange bril-
ant stones of an orange-brown color.
mike topaz or any other jewel ordin-
rily seen. They are jargoons, called
lso zireons. one of the most interesting
/ the newly revived stones. They are
ouhd in blue rcd. and cinnamon. but the {
eep brown, with orange flashes. are
lost highly esteemed. They have a FIRE +
carly equal to that of the diamond. to
-hich they are also allied in hardness. {
he best of them come from Ceylon and :
-ew South Wales. {
A collar is set with green stone Of 5
ocular fascination. In tone it is aui- :
r.ar- d. I
az ana look through it at the light. /
nd you VIII have something like the /
DIOR Of the peridot. This jewel like the a
irgoon, is dichroic, or dual in color
$ image showing straw-yellow and leelz-
reen. It is sometimes called the even c
* emerald and sometimes the heavenly
one. It's beauty would entite it to the
tier designation, but it has another
aim. 1t is the Only precious stone ,
loWn 10 Us which occurs IL meteorites. =,
ysterious corners of Egypt yield fine .
sridots- It is not a very hard stone. :
ld ancient specimens exist finely en-.
-aved. The pitdoh Of Aaron's breast :
ate was probably peridot. p
Other stones formerly known as semi o
eoious bat now priced for their color Il
u lustre include The topaz. not only in a
g wen-Anown sherry color. but in the i.
S familiar hues Of blue white and rose o
'tal pink The last named. love est OF Y
}, is sometimes a natural product, but a
usually obtained by packing in Inagne- Il
2 the yellow stone ard heating IL in a
uc.ble. It Is an uncertain process. as K
ost of the stones crack at q certain s.
nperature. bat perfect specimens bring ii
onnous prices. Barnets. especially the s.
re green ones from the UraI noun 81
ins. aame-red carbuncles. which are L
ly garnets en- cabochon. usually cot n
sh hollow iu the back Hued with fol-. n'
exican IRE opals. and the matrices OF y
ais and turuuoises. are finding .avor Z
ain. n
very wealthy man well known IN New :
TX went 70 q 5eweller not long ago and :
owed him q little emerald set IN a
I'd worn thin with time. il was the
e he had given his betrothed wife. !
ars ago. when he vas neither wealthy =
? vel known. she had had many =
xels afterwards. but had always kept =
E emerald. Now she vss gone. and he !.
shed TO wear the engagement ring. -
uld he 5ewslier put ii IN d suitable +.
-m2 The ring was given Il the best 70
sisaer IN the esta ablishuezt- he made -
Egyptian ring With rather large "a
.Tab. This only the owner knew how az
nomh hc~Eo:~sS "