Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-18
NEW DESIGNS IN RINGS
THE SOLITAIRE NO LONGER
RULES AS A BETRoTHAL RING.
Birthstones a Favorite Fad as Set
ting-Men's
Rings.

Written for The Evening Star. .- ..,,f. g.
Since our grandmothers day the solitaire
diamond has held unrivaled sway as the
seal of the betrothed maiden. But the
charmed spell of this lone brilliant Is now
broken. The affianced girl now runs the
gamut of her artistic conceptions to choose
the rings which mark her engagement. And
rings it Is, because the German custom in
which engaged parties exchange rings and
each wears a betrothal ring, has become
vogue among young lovers in this coun-
try.
Not many a man would venture to pur-
chase the ring for his fiancee without her
assistance; when he does 1t Is sometimes
with disastrous results. A girl who had
dreamed all her life of one day wearing
diamond solitaire such her mother wore
became the promised wife of a man much
older than herself, with exceptionally ar
tistic tastes. He presented her with be-
trothal ring in which two beautifully cut
emeralds were set in nest of small but
brilliant diamonds. The little lady was
broken hearted. and several months found
her again free to choose a man of less
unusual IDEAS On the other hand, young
woman who engaged herself to a man with
no intention of keeping her f1irtatious prom
Use grew so attached to his betrothal ring
tnat the QetermlneQ youth HnallY gained
her true affection.
The ruby is very popular among lovers
as the gem for the engagement ring It's
rich color typifying warmth of feeling The
rarity OF rubfes, however, puts them out of
the reach OF most pocketbooks. One ruby
with a twin diamond has no rival In beauty
for the setting of a betrothal ring, the
companion ring for the man having the
ruby and diamond set deeply into a plain
gold band.
Next in popularity to this blood-red stone
is the emerald, both as a single, finely cut
gem and In the large cuttings of the highly
polished stone. These big square stones
such as our grandmothers wore, are sur
rounded with small diamonds and are being
employed very generally this year for the
engagement ring. The topaz in brilliant
mond setting.
Her Birthstone.
A fancy Of the up-to-date girl is to see
her birthstone in some handsome setting
for her betrothal ring. If the birthstone is
not brilliant gem, it is worked into some
fantastic or oriental design. One unusually
attractive means of working in the birth
stone is to have it cut in the form of a
heart and surmounted by a crown of tiny
diamonds, An opal with this mounting is
worn by one engaged girl. The same de-
sign is also effective for an amethyst with
q pearl rather than a diamond crown.
Mems rings have bands of dull gold or
reproduction of the family crest holding
the birthstone. These odd rings are al
ways made of gold in dull rose tint.
Notwithstanding every device of the jewel
designer and every fancy of the faddish
girl the diamond will remain the favored
gem for this, the most treasured jewel of
woman's life. One costly setting of single
stones shows pyramid of eight diamonds.
Three stones in clover leaf grouping is an
other expensive but magnificent mounting.
A single pink pearl between two diamonds
is a favorite setting with girls who are not
superstitious, and who do not believe pearls
to represent tears. Two small diamonds set
diagonally are shown In ring almost cir
cled with tiny diamonds.