The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-10-29
WILD DEMAND FOR BRACELETS
FACTORIES SOLD. OUT TO JAN. !;
ORDERS STILL CONE IN.

women Are wearing Them seven 10 an Arm
whole United states and Latin
America CesRbIn IN rage for JeweIIeh
Ornaments Good wOrkmen scarce.
Jewelry manufacturers are having the
time Of their lives trying to All orders which
have rushed upon them to an extent never
before known in the trade. This was the
report given out by every maker Of gold
and silver jewelry within the last few days.
With most OF the plants operated day and
night the demand cannot be supplied.
A scarcity Of skilled workmen is one Of the
conditions and this has led to advances in
wages.
The Maiden lane district is the outlet
through which is sold not only the product
OF the New York factories but also Of
various other citiee. The manufacturers
WHOSE salesrooms are here and who have
factories m Newark, Providence, the Attle-
boros and other cities, say that the situation
at all Of these places is similar to that
in New York. In Eastern cities where
cheaper average grades of jewelry are
made the stress is said 10 be even greater.
Some Of the manufacturers say that they
have been compelled to refuse further
OTueTS WulCu Cdllcu IOT ucplV ct z civ
the holidays. as the output il sold up to
next year. Retailers from all parts Of the
country have been coming on to New York
in large numbers in order tourge deliveries.
many Offering cash payments in the hope
of getting their supplies more quickly.
Bracelets are given as the direct cause OF
the strain upon the factories. Although
other kinds OF ornaments are being made
Il, l~--o -,-.0sNs.. 49, 80 A,.NRt.f IA
said to exceed numerically, and perhaps in
value, all the others put together. Numer-
Gus factories have this season been con-
verted from other lines of jewelry to the
manufacture Of bracelets. Everything else
in many shops is being showed aside to in
crease the production Of them.
An odd circumstance is that simultaneously
with the home demand for bracelets in all
parts Of the United States the jewellers
report a cry of the same kind from South
America, Cuba and the Philippines, lands in
which American jewelry has been meeting
with much favor in late years. On the
other hand, importers at New York have
been bringing here an increased valuation
of jewelTy from Paris, but this Is mostly
of the finer grades. The duty IL 90 per cent.
ad valorem.
Statesmen and parts Of Office forces have
been put to work at the benches. Several
prominent manufacturer OF Ndhutu AIT
have brought their wives and daughters to
the shops and many married women who az
girls worked in the factories have again
turned their hands to the specialties IN
which they formerly acquired skill.
Retail jewellers, in some INSTANCES, have
installed small shops in any available room
in or near their stores for the special pur-
pose OF turning out bracelets. Superior
hand work is being done In some OF these
small shops, and this appeals to people
yuhn lnOk FOR flaainns that pnhndv al-a yCaaTS
Manufacturer say that a large proportion
Of the best wOrkmen in the factories came
from the European jewelry centres years
ago and while their ranks have been grad
ually depleted by deaths and other causes
American boys have not stepped orward
in sufficient Dumbers to fill their places. APP
prentices are not in these times encouraged
by other employees, IL il said.
"W0rkmen were glad in the old days
said a manufactures who rose from the
hench. ito teach the boys who came into
the shops as apprentices. That disposition
is now rare. This IL one reason, | think,
why boys are more disposed to enter Offices
than to learn trades
In the demand for bracelets is found a
partial explanation Of ten unprecedented
importation OF precious stones and pearls
this year, as shown by the reports from the
customs authorities. Diamonds, rubes,
emAralds, sapphires, pearls and such cheaper
stones as the ametheyst. peridOt, topaz and
aquamarine are largely used in the Orna-
mentatiOn of the bands, which are made
Of gold, silver, platinum, plated metal, jet
and other materials.
American stones, chiefly sapphires. tour
malines and ~turquoises. are also used in the
settings. The stones are shipped from
the Western mines to New York lapidaries. |
who cut and polish them for the jewelry
factories. Pearls from the Wabash and
other Western rivers are up to this time, /
say the dealers, n greater factor IN the
industry than are the precious and fancy
stones Of the entire United States.
Prices Of the bracelets which, jewellers !
say, are worn as many as seven to an arm
vary from less than a dollar TO amounts
limited only by the value of the precious
stones that are placed in the settings. But
Thousands are sold under SIS TO one above |
that amnlnI |