The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-11-19
HOW PEARLS ARE STRUNG.

Few people realize that there is such a
proIeSsion-or. more properly speaking,
such an aIt-as pearl stringing" al
though the pearl stringer has a most i'm
portant part to play in the production of
the beautiful necklaces, cellarettes, and
ropes of pearls which adorn the necks OF
beautiful women and swan-throated girls.
1t is the task of the pearl str:ngers TO
blend the colors. 10 graduate the sizes.
and string the pearls in such a manner
as to insure their finally appearing to
,..-ir best advantage. Only the keen eye
Of one used to the handling of some thou
sands of these precious gems annually
can do this TO perfection
It has often been remarked by dealers
that their pearls have looked worth a
much greater value through being cor
rectly matched and graduated than when
roughly picked UP by an incompetent per-
son.
Pearls arrive from India and other parts
of the world in small lunches. with silver
tassel ends. They are then handed to the
stringer. who lays them out upon a long
velvet-coated tray, furnished with num-
erous grooves of various sizes and depthz
Inc pearls are then put into the grooves.
ready to be matched.
Presenting a rope has to be made of
fairly fine stones, the first thing to be
done is to pick out the largest and finest
pearl AMI place it alone in one OF the large
grooves. This forms the center of the
rope. Then the two next best pearls Of
equal color. size and shape are picked
out and placed one on each side Of the
furn ID Eo
on. until the two ends are reached, where
all the oval and irregularly shaped pearls
are placed. They are then temporarily
threaded. and if no alteration is neces-
sary. strung again. and the diamond clasp
is attached.
The matching OF each side OF the rope
is so correctly accomplished that on be-
ing put into the scales very few grains
difference. and often none whatever. viii
be found in the weight of the two sides.
Large pearls, as a rule. have very small
holes drilled in them, the reason being
probably on account OF their great value
one grain sometimes making a difference
OF many dollars On that account only
very fine material can be used 10 thread
them on. and considerable risiz is run Of
losing some Of the stones.
Happily. this seldom happens. as the
pearl strinser has a brilliant way OF e.
fectuaIly preventing such mlshaps by
placing 4 neat little knot close to each
pearl. 50 that should al accident occur
and the rope break. only one pearl can
possibly fall TO the ground.
There is other work associated vita
that OF pearl stringers. such as the drill
ing and polishing of the pearls. and the
making OF strung-peari ornaments. that
Is to say. seed pearls strung CT to orns-
nsnts OF mother-of-pesrl OF various DE-
signs. chiefly as sprays for the hair and
brooches.
Drilling Of pearls Is done entirely ~
rneans OF the hands. the little machine
being worked with one hard while the
pearl is held between the thumb ard first
finger Of the other. II is very responsible
and hard work. and takes many years OF
apprenticeship \ good dTiller is the man
who can pick up a valuable pear. pierce
the csnt4- correctly and evenly, and at
the same time exPeditiotely-
Should 4 drilIer havS the misfortune 10
break hardened steel drili rs pzsEi.
Il NAV take him considerable time 70 Fe~
move il. and often AZ the risk q dameS-
ing or spelling the precious stone. but this
misfortune seldom happens iiaeieipllla