Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-09-10
REVIVAL IN JEWELRY
ANCIENT STONES AGAIN COMING
INTO FAVOR.
New Designs Which Rival the Work
Of the Cinque-Cento
Goldsmiths.
From the New York Evening Post.

From the New York Evening Post.
The good Rebelsis'' recommended his
hero to give himself curiously to the study
Of nature. including therein the precious
stones that are to be seen in the east and
south OF the world" 1t was excellent adj
vice. but one is interested to know what
stones the wise old philosopher deemed
precious. Could he have told the jewels in
the breastplate of the Jewish high priest?
Did he know the peridot, the anatase, the
chrysoprase or was his knowledge limited,
as It is generally today, to the rather OBJ
vious charms of the diamond, emerald.
ruby. pearl. 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 diamonds as
form OF investment. The more diamonds
she owns, and the larger and more flaw
less they are, the more secure he feels
about the money he has put into them,
Women themselves buy their jewels. not as
they buy their gowns, with a proper re-
gard for their becomingness, but simply
with a view of wearing something costly
and brilliant
Old White Topaz.
This Is partly the fault OF the jewelers..
Up to a few years ago the ancient art of
combining gems languished in a sleep of
three centuries. The exquisite creations of
the Cinque-Cento goldsmiths were forgot
ten IN obscure corners of museums
The revival, which began about dozen
years back was a slow and difficult affair.
The introduction of a little known Jewel,
no matter how beautiful, is not easy.
buyer is shown a necklace Of pale straw
colored stones, with dazzling reflections OF
white light. and goes into ecstasies over
the yellow diamonds, as she calls them.
lta 10
1eweler, honestly proud of his work. They
are white topazes from Brazil. extremely
rare
The buyers face changes "Oh! show me
something with real diamonds"
Taste is gradually changing however,
and cult for rare and novel jewelry has
sprung up among the wealthy and the
artistically educated classes The best
artists who not only have a scientific &C
quaintance with precious stones, but know
how they should be associated in relation
to their color. luster and substance
Unique Designs.
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
from safes and cabinets are taken neck
laces rings, bracelets in all colors of gold
and enamel rich with gems. the very names
of which are unknown except to the con-
noisseur. None of these pieces exist in
duplicate Each one is a work OF art which
the designer would find 1t impossible to re-
peat.
Here Is a necklace IN a design which
might have been suggested by some tendril-
like vine. The gold Is hidden under a
sparkling enamel. set with fine lines of
small diamonds. At intervals, like fruit or
berries Of the vine, are strange, brilliant
stones of an Orange-brown color. unlike
topaz any other Jewel ordinarily seem
They are jargoons, called also Zircons, one
of the most interesting Of the newly re-
viyed stones. They are found in blue, red
and cinnamon, but the deep brown, with
orange flashes. are most highly esteemed.
They have a fire nearly equal to that of the
diamond, to which they are also allied in
hardness The best OF them come from Cey
Ion and New South Wales.
A collar IS set with a green stone of pc
euliar fascination. In tone II Is quieter than
an emerald. Pluck delicate leaf and look
through II at the light, and you have some
thing like the color of the perdot. This
Jewel, like the jargoOn, is dichrOic, or dual
In color, its image showing straw-yellow
and leek-green. 1t is sometimes called the
evening emerald and sometimes the heav-
emily stone. Its beauty would entitie 1t to
the latter designation. but 1t has another
claim 1t is the only precious stone known
to Us which occurs IN meteorites. Mys-
ferrous corners of Egypt yield fine peridots.
1t Is not very hard stone, and ancient
specimens exist finely engraved The pitdoh
OF Aaron's breastplate was probably peri
dot.
Semi-Precious Stones.
Other stones formerly known as semi
precious. but now priced for their color
and luster, include the topaz, not only In
its well-known sherry color, but In the less
familiar hues OF blue, white and rose-petal
pink. The last named, lovelest of all, is
sometimes a natural product, but Is usually
obtained by packing in magnesia the yell
low stone and heating it In a crucible 1t
Is an uncertain process, as most of the
stones crack at a certain temperature, but
perfect specimens bring enormous prices
Garnets, especially the rare green ones
from the Ural mountains fame-red car
buncles, which are only garnets en- cabo-
chon, usually cut with hollow in the back
lined with foil, Mexican fire opals and the
matrices Of opals and turquoises, are find
Ing favor again.