Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-05-08

the loss OF a valuable string
of pearls through the breaking of the cord on
which they were hung and their slipping off
| and scattering over the floor or sidewalk. Those
who know anything about the stringing of
pearls however, always read these tales with
incredulity, because nowadays, as general
thing, only false pearls those of small price
are strung without knot being tied between
each of them, so that if the cord breaks no
| more than one can fall off.
1t is common belief that because of their
great value pearls are strung on something
durable, like catgut or wire. AS a matter of fact
such material IS never employed. There is no
beauty to string OF pearls that looks wiry or
stiff. 1t must be flexible to the highest degree,
otherwise all its graceful effect will be lost. Up
to the time of the introduction of surgeons
silk for pearl stringing nothing had been found
that would absolutely meet the requirements
of strength and f1exibility.
That the most valuable pearls are to-day
strung cords of surgeons silk is due to the
suggestion of a woman employee of New
York jewelry house.
What the Silk Is
SURGEONS silk-the thread that is used for
sewing up cuts and wounds-is soft, round
strand of pure white silk which is woven, not
twisted. The weave, when viewed under a
magnifying glass, closely resembles that of fine
silk braid and is capable of only small degree
eral diameters or grades. which makes it all the
more desirable for pearl stringing. These are
numbered, instead of being lettered like or
binary sewing silk, and are wound on small
cards like darning cotton.
When the young woman'S idea was first
adopted it seemed as though it would prove inn
practicable, owing to the quantity of surgeons
silk manufactured being insufficient to meet
the new demands from the jewelers.. 1t was
also very expensive. But the idea was such a
good one and the surgeons silk was so much
superior to anything ever tried before, that in
time it was found possible to secure it in suf
ficient quantities and at wholesale prices.
The principal safeguard against loss, however,
is in the method of stringing. An intricate
system of knotting the thread between each
pearl is employed. This prevents the escape of
more than one jewel should the thread break.
This knotting is done with tweezers and is a
task that requires great skill. There must be
no unsightly gaps between the knots and the
pearls, and the whole when finished must be
immaculate in its wilderness. The tiny knots,
instead of detracting from the beauty of the
pearls alternating with the larger ones. Knot
ting lengthens the necklace also, and is often
resorted to for that purpose.
When strand of certain length is desired
and the number of large pearls is not sufficient,
imitation pearls of the exact size and color are
often substituted Some of these limitations
will deceive the eye of any but the most expert.
Of course the knotting between each pearl
means lot of extra trouble and expense.
Some owners of pearls object to this additional
enthusiastically to their sorrow.
A rich New York woman started off to spend
the week end with some friends in the country
not long ago. 1t was midwinter and the snow
was deep. She decided at the last moment to
wear valuable string of pearls and put it on
outside her dress; but of course beneath her
cloak. The pearls were strung in the old way,
loose, without knots between.
She noticed that her pearls were safe when
she got into the sleigh at the end of her railway
journey; but when she entered the house and
took off her wraps she discovered that they
were gone. By that time the coachman
had driven to the stable, which was some
three hundred yards from the house. The
hostess telephoned Immediately to the stable;
but a careful search of the cutter revealed no
trace of the missing jewels AS the string was
worth forty thousand dollars, a systematic
search started for them at once.
Thereupon the servants began shoveling
the snow at each end of the line and melting it
in large kettles. This labor took several days;
but was rewarded by finding the pearls, one by
one, along the path of the sleigh.
The next time this woman had her pearls
strung she had them knotted in the most ap-
proved fashion.
Drilling and Stringins
IT often happens that the largest pearls have
the smallest holes drilled through them; for
every grain that is taken from the pearl reduces
it in weight. In such cases. however, the risk
of the cord breaking is increased. owing to the