The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-03-26
JEWEL BUYING, PARIS STYLE.
LUXURY IN SHOPPING As FOUND
IN. NEW YORK.
Separate Room for Each CustOmeF--AVer.
aGe woman Can't Tell False Gems
Prom Real-BeNHFe OF Buytng From
Nnun u-rL.-a. -E.-..l the ENnarIn EEn

Separate Room for Each CustOmeF--AVer.
age woman Can't Tell False Gems
Prom Real-BeWHre OF Buying From
Your FriendS-EVen the Experts Err.
there Is absolutely no way for the aver
age woman 70 tell the difference between
false and real jewels. particularly when the
jewels are In q setting said Fifth avenue
importer Of precious stones.
His shop is modelled after some Of the eT-
elusive Paris establishments and Is designed
10 cater to the women who spend Thousands
every year for new bits Of jewelry and In
having rings. necklaces, tiaras. stomachers
and oorsage pins reset and done over ao-
oording TO the latest fashions. Here the
customer does not jostle elbows with other
buyers In front OF a counter lined with show
oasss there are no showcases.
Safes and vaults line the Handsomely
appointed main room from which open
smaller rooms lighted by windows reaching
from floor 10 ceiling, 'fhe place Is flooded
with light, for bow else could the beauties
or defects Of a stone be properly studied2
In one Of thetsmall rooms the customer
takes a comfortable chair near a window
and before a mirror. table is put before
her and from one or another Of the big
safes are taken trays Of jewels, OF small
boxes Of jewels II the stones are Of highest
cost, and these are placed before her.
Then II che really means business an ex-
pert points out to her the difference between
the stones and gives advice az 10 the latest
thing in setung'. II she Is especially
fastidious a setting will I've designed for her
and the promise given that il will not be
duplicated and that the order when COM
pleted will not be shown to any other Gus
toner.
Mrs. Jones for Instance. may meet Mrs.
Smith in the elevator going to this jewelry
establishment, but neither will be any
the wiser as to what the other has purchased
Of the ieweiler. Each customer while there
will have room and a salesman at her
disposal
In Paris said the jewel!er, this sort
Of place il common enough, but 40 far as
know this is the only one Of the kind in the
retail section Of New York city.
There In no particular reason he went
on. why a woman should know how TO
distinguish between real and imitation
stones unless indeed she means 90 buy
from private individuals. / never heard
Of a reputable dealer trying to pass OF
stones for other than what they were IL
wouldn't pay him to do Il, for the reason
that sooner OF later his deception would
be found out and his reputation in Conss-
quence be practically ruined.
Women. however, are often fooled in
purchasing stones from friends and ac-
quaintances. For instance, the other even
ing after the play ! met at one OF the res
taurants a lady with whom / have had
business dealings and who 10 the course
Of a chat pulled on her gloves and flashed
q handsome amethyst ring before my eyes
with the remark:
NOW, tell me, Mr.. Blank. is this real OF
imitation
Il gave a glance at the thing and then
said in all sincerity: Really, madam. in
the stone with a maguifying glass it is im-
possible for me to tell Come to my place
tomorrow and will answer your question
with pleasure
"She came. and In a few minutes told
her the stone was an limitations sug-
gestion il seems which she had received
with bad grace the day before from her
brother, who, although not jeweller
knows a good stone when he sees It. The
amethyst had cost what would have been
a very low price for the real thing, but
under the circumstances Il was exorbitant.
How came you TO buy itT l asked
Then it came ont that while at Palm
Beach the week before she met an &C.
quaintance who had been plunging heavily
at the card tables, had used up her supply
Of ready cash and was afraid to ask her
conhded her troubles to the other and
ended by saying:
See here, will part with this ring for
-, naming the sum. which il only two
thirds Of what paid for Il. Do you know
any one who will buy?
-The other woman thought she had bar.
gain and most women 20 u know dearly love
bargain-and slipped the ring on her owr
finger, paying cash on the spot. Had Il