The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-06-14
WEDDING RINGS.
Seven Miles Of Them Made IN New York In
the Course OF . Year.

Seven Miles Of Them Made IN New Ysfk In
the Course OF Year.
There have been made and sold In New
York In the past year enough wedding
rings to reach, II placed one before tho
other, from tho City Hall along Broadway
to 10th street, q distance OF about III miles.
This is the estimate Of manufacturer.
According to his calculations there have
been sent out in the past year some 900 .ooo
wedding rings. OF these he has manu-
featured more than 200,0On, and IN their
making he has used an even ton OF pure gold.
The rings sell from - to SiS, but where
they all go is a mystery to him.
There are only about five wedding ring
manufacturers in the city he said, 'but
these Ave arc kept constantly busy with
orders from all parts Of the country. every
month In the year.
1T seems as II everybody in the United
States must have been married and pur-
chased one OF my rings since have b ,en In
business, for I have sold several million.
This is equally true Of my competitor across
the street and my competitor up the ave.
nue..
Many people might suppose that the
tl5 ring would be the one purchased by the
millionaire to present to bis bride. and that
the - ring would be bought by the work.
ingman. but the case IL exactly the 10.
verse. The workingnnan seems to want the
wedding ring that will cover his, wife's
entire hand. while tho wealthier purchaser
wants q small ring, 20 a. to allow room
for . finger full Of diamonds and other
gems.
when you talk about style In wedding
rings you are talking about something
that does not exist. The station in Life de-
termines 1t all. Perhaps the most common
few yeafA at least, is that about three
six pennyweight."
At this point tho manufacturer set out
on the counter fifteen or twenty rings,
ranging In width from . circle no moro
cumbersome than An engagement ring, to
tho broad. thick band.
'There are your styles no said. 'They
vary in diameter from half an inch to an
inch, tho average being aboutthree-quarte
Of an inch
His interviewer did little figuring on
. pad, and announced that 600 QUO rings, At
three-quarten Of an inch In thickness.
would make about $4,000 inches. or about
81, 500 fest. II placed ono before the other.
This number OF feet divided by $3.50, the
number OF feet In . mile. would make tho
total string Of rings ~ miles. or the dis-
tance from the City Hall to 10th street In
Harlem.
DO you imagine. the dealer was asked
shat these ringS seal 100000 marriage
contracts every years'
NO. he replied. OF late years II has
become the custom. and the custom u
growing, for both parties to marriage to
wear the ring. and this accounts for tho
increase in tho number made and sold.
Probably, out OF this 900, 900 rings sold,
from Il, 900 to 1900 are worn by men,
DO you manufacture engagement
rings"
The manufacturer smiled.
'There IL a funny thing about that. I"
he said. LAST year sold 5000 more
engagement rings than wedding rings,
and suppose my compositions have run
about tho same. OF course. that places
tho sale OF engagement rings far ahead
Of the number Of wedding ring: .odr
=. a ao. s Dc ySn account for the dia'r'n0a'
.well," he said smilingly. 'whsn . man
buys . wedding ring he usually means
business, and when be buys an engagement
ring, well-well-he may mean anything
And where one man may buy dozen en-
gagement rings, usually one wedding ring
Il enough for him. How this oyerplus
Of engagement rings compares With the
breach Of promise suits cannot say