The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1910-08-04
STRINClNC PEARLS
A Difficult Task That Calls For
Skill and Judgment.
CORDED ON SURGEONS SILK.
A Soft. Round Strand Of Pure White
Woven Thread Is Employed, and an
intricate System OF knottins Guards
the Gems Should the String Break.


Intricate System OF knottine Guards
the Gems Should the String Break.
cd about the loss of valuable string
Of pearls through the breaking of the
cord Oh which they, were hung and
their slipping of and scattering over
the door OF sidewalk. Those who
know anything about the stringing OF
pearls. however, always read these
tales with incredulity. because nova.
days. as general thing, only false
pearls or those of small price are
strung without a knot being tied be-
tween each of them, so that II the
cord breaks no more than one can fall
OF.
II is common belief that because of
their great value pearls are strung on
sonnet hing durable. like catgut or wire.
AS matter of fact such material is
never employed. There Is no beauty
TO a string OF pearls that looks wiry
or stitf. Ii must be flexible to the
highest degree. otherwise all its grace
ful effect will be lost. Up to the time
OF the Introduction of surgeons silk
for pearl stringiug nothing had been
found that would absolutely meet the
requirements of strength and 6exi
bility.
That the most valuable pearls are to-
day strung on cords of surgeons silk
Is due to the suggestion of q woman
employee of New York jewelry
| house.
Surgeons silk-the thread that Is
nsed for sewing up cuts and wounds
Is a soft, round strand OF pure white
silk which is woven, not twisted. The
weave. when viewed under magni.
flying glass. closely resembles that of
tiue silk braid and Is capable of only
a small degree of expansion. This
thread is produced III several diam
eters or grades. which makes II all the
more desirable for pearl stringing.
These are numbered instead OF being
lettered like ordinary sewing silk and
are wound OIL small cards like darning
cotton.
When the young womans idea was
first adopted II seemed as though II
would prove impracticable owing to
the quantity OF surgeons silk manu-
factured being insufficient 10 meet the
new demands from the jewelers. lt
was also very expensive But the idea
was such a good one and the surgeons s
silk was so much superior TO anything
ever tried before that In time IL was
found possible to secure II IN sufficient
quantities and at wholesale prices.
The principal safeguard against loss,
however, Is In the method of string
ing. An intricate system of knotting
the thread between each pearl Is en-
ployed This prevents the escape OF
more than one Jewel should the thread
break. This knotting Is done with
tweezers and Is task that requires
great skill. There must be no insight
ly gaps between the knots and the
pearls, and the whole when finished
must be immaculate In its whiteness.
The tiny knots instead of detracting
from the beauty of the necklace en-
hauce 1t, for they look like seed pearls
alternating with the larger ones. Knot
ting lengthens the necklace also and
Is often resorted TO for that purpose
When a strand Of q certain length Is
desired and the number of large pearls
is rot sufficient imitation pearls of the
exact size and color are often substi'
tuted. Some of these limitations will
deceive the eye OF any but the most
expert.
Ii often happens that the largest
pearls have the smallest holes drilled
through them. for every grain that Is
taken from the pearl reduces 1t In
weight. In such cases, however, the
risk of the cord breaking Is increased
owing to the slenderness of the thread
and the sharp edges of the pearls cut
ting through II quickly.
Stringing pearls Is never done witt
needle. needle is not yielding
enough TO pass through very small
holes. and the doubling of Its diametel
at the eye makes its use impracticable
Therefore the end OF the thread Il
, sharpened to a very fine point, which
Is waxed stiffly enough to be used ex
actly as a needle would be-
Ordinarily pearl stringing is me
chanically difficult and also require
taste and judgment The pearls ma.
have to be rearranged In order to i'm
prove their general appearance. Ii
{ the laying out of collarets especial,
a great deal OF skill is required. Il
: the first place. the collaret must d
exactly. This seems comparativel
: easy. but II Is not A pattern Is a
l. ways fitted beforehand. but 1t is rare
= iy the case that the result Is satisfaS
tory the first time. Some necks n
quire straight collars and other
slightly curved. The same care is gi'
a en- to the fitting of a coIlaret as to th
set OF an expensive gown. and 1t ha
l. to be tried on and changed and az
% iusted as many times
l. Dividers are used to gauge the exa'
It position In which the vertical damon
n | ha.a thar ounnorf tho or fra uda nf naa r.