The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-11-20
VARIETY IN WEDDING GOWNS,
Tho Diamond Hoop a Rival Of tho Flat
Gold Rand

New York Sun: In view Of the fact that
many thousands Of wedding rings are
sold in New York alone every year, it Is
somewhat surprising that nine-tenths or
more of them are almost exactly alike
a plain band made Of IS or 22-carat gold,
which costs anywhere from 50 to SIS or
&lS-and that the poorest, as we'll as the
richest, man buys practically the same
sort Of ring for his bride
Despite the fckleness Of fashion IN most
things, the plain gold wedding ring has
neen IN vogue for more years than even
the historians are sure about. In America
very few wedding rings other thar those
OF the plainest style have ever been worn.
How much longer the fashion will con-
tlnue Is an interesting question. There are
now many more exceptions to the rule
than formerly. From time to time, OF
late, In New York, women of fashion
have been married with other than a plain
gold ring.
A Fifth avenue jeweler had two orders
last winter for a wedding ring, each of
which was a complete hoop Of small dia-
monds, set very fiat and SO close together
that not a particle OF the setting was In
evidence.
You are quite sure the ring was not
intended for an engagement ring?" the
jeweler was asked by the reporter to
az q IN G5a u Silio
Certainly I am" was his reply. The
engagement ring was ordered from US,
TOP. 1t Is not often, though, that we
are asked for anything but plain gold
wedding rings he went on, land l fancy
no other style will become popular very
soon. You see there is really no stone
except a diamond suitable for that pur-
pose, unless 1t Is a ruby, which Is almost
too costly to be wasted on a very fiat set
ting, and none blu a fiat ring for a mar
riage ring seems to be wanted l lave
never made a wedding ring with jewels
In a high setting"
Evidently the diamond hoop Is gaining
In favor for a wedding ring. 1t has been
ordered Of more than one OF the we'll
known jewelers. during the last year.
And several times" admitted a dealer,
we have made q wedding ring in which
were sunk three diamonds placed in a
trifle more than one-eighth Of an inch
apart. The surface Of the diamonds was
even with the surface Of the gold. We also
made a wedding ring for a bride last win
ter which had one very beautiful ruby
sunk into the gold in the center. In con-
versation with the lady 1t came out that
she had read somewhere that the wedding
ring given by James, Duke of York, to
Mary of Modena was decorated with a
ruby, and the idea caught her fancy.
In the old days a royal bride nearly
always wore a jeweled wedding ring,
whatever they may do now, although biog-
raphers Of Queen Mary, who married
Philip Of Spain in 1864, say that after a
long discussion as to what jewels should
adorn her wedding ring, she chose to be
married with a plain gold band, like a
maiden Of the people, as she said. In the
jeweled wedding rings of those days,
though, the stones were set high and elab-
orately, whereas the few hat Americans
arc using are placed very inconspicuously.
The old-time Jewish wedding ring was
quite a ponderous affair of tiligree gold,
enameled in colors. A dome or temple in
miniature, which rose from the middle OF
the hoop, was a favorite device. Some
times the hoop was about t~hree-quarters
of an inch wide and had raised edges.
"One ring Of this kim Is described by
an authority as having five elevations on
the upper part-the center a ~hexagonal
tower, with penthouse roof slipping down
to the hoop, the gables and sides pierced
with fourteen holes, or windows, and the
roof scored to initiate titles. On either
side Of this was q smaller tower without
windows. No other ring could find room
on a woman's finger beside this. I don't
think there Is the slightest possibility
that this style of ring will be revived"