Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-10-08
VARIETY IN. WEDDING RINGS.
The Diamond Hoop a Rival of the Flat
Gold Band
From the New York Sun.

From the New York Sun.
In view of the fact that many thousands
of wedding rings sold in New York
alone every year it is somewhat surprising
that nine-tenths or more of them are al
most exactly alike-a plain band made Of
IS or 22-carat gold, which costs anywhere
from SO to $15 or $1S-and that the poorest,
We'll the richest, man buys practically
the same sort of ring for his bride.
Despite the fickleness of fashion in most
things the plain gold wedding ring has
been IN vogue for more years than even the
historians are sure about In America very
few wedding rings other than those of the
plainest style have ever been worn. How
much longer the fashion will continue is
an interesting question. There 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 9Th avenue jeWeler had two orders last
winter for a wedding ring, each of which
was a complete hoop of small diamonds.
set very fiat an l so close together than not
a particle of the setting was in evidence.
You are quite sure the ring was not In
tended for an engagement ring?" the jew
eler was asked by the reporter to whom he
related this vasary of fashion.
Certainly l am" was his reply. 1.-The
engagement ring was ordered from us. too.
1T is not often, though, that we are
asked for anything but plain gold wedding
rings, he went on. ''and l fancy no other
style will become popular very soon. You
see there is really no stone except a dia-
mond suitable for that purpose. unless it
is ruby, which is almost too costly to be
wasted on very fiat setting, and none but
a fiat ring for a marriage ring seems to be
wanted l have never made wedding
ring with jewels in a high setting"
Evidently the diamond hoop is gaining in
favor for a wedding ring. 1t has been or
dered of more than one of the well-known
jewellers during the last year.
And several times" admitted a dealer,
I'VE have made a wedding ring in which
were sunk three diamonds placed a tribe
more than one-eghth 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 winter which
had one very beautiful ruby sunk into the
gold in the center. In conversation with
the lady it came out that she had read
somewhere that the wedding ring given by
James. Duke of York. to Mary of Modena
was decorated with ruby, and the idea
caught her fancy.
In the old days a royal bride nearly al
ways wore jeweled wedding ring, what
ever they may do now. although biog-
raphers of Queen Mary. who married Philip
of Spain in 1854 say that after a long dis
cUSsion to what jewels should adorn
her wedding ring: she chose to be married
with a plain gold hand. like maiden of
the people, as she said. In the jewelad
wedding rings of those days. though the
stones were set high and elabora tely
whereas the few that Americans are using
placed very inconspicuousy. The old
time Jewish wedding ring was quite a pom
derous affair OF filgree gold. enameaed in
colors. A dome or temple in miniature.
which rose from the middle of the hoop
was favorite device. Sometimes the hoop
was about three-duarters of an inch wide
and had raised edges.
"One ring of this kind is described by an
Nc
upper part-the center a hexagonal tower
with penthouse roof sloping down to the
hoop, the gables and sides pierced with
fourteen holes, or windows, and the roof
scored to initiate tiles. On either side Of
this was a smaller tower without windows
No other ring could find room on a wo-
mans finger beside this. / don't think
there is the slightest possibility that this
style of ring will be revived r.