The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1910-07-15
STR|NG|NC 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 knotting Guards
the Gems Should the String Break.

Every now and then q story Is print
ed about 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 nova
days, as a general thing, only false
pearls or those of small price are
strung without knot being tied be-
tween 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 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 grace
full 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 fiexi-
bility.
That the most valuable pearls are to.
day strung on cords Of surgeons silk
is due to the suggestion of a woman
employee of a New York jewelry
house.
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 magni-
flying glass, closely resembles that of
fine silk braid and is capable of only
a small degree Of expansion. This
thread is produced in several diam
eters or grades, which makes it all the
more desirable for pearl stringing.
These are numbered instead of being
lettered like ordinary sewing silk and
are wound on small cards like darning
cotton.
When the young woman's idea was
first adopted it seemed as though 1t
would prove impracticable owing to
the quantity Of surgeons silk manu-
factured 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 1t 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
thSii NhS bSttulJ VI AhC bCIhiaSS
hance 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 strand of q certain length Is
desired and the number of large pearls
is not 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.
1t 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 it quickly.
Stringing pearls is never done with
n needle, A needle is not yielding
enough to pass through very small
holes, and the doubling Of its diameter
at the eye makes its use impracticable.
Therefore the end of the thread Is
sharpened to very fine point, which
is waxed stiflly enough to be used ex-
actly as needle would be.
Ordinarily pearl stringing is me-
chanically difficult and also requires
taste and judgment. The pearls may
have to be rearranged In order to Inn
prove their general appearance. In
the laying out of collarets especially
great deal Of skill is required. In
the first place, the collaret must fit
exactly. This seems comparatively
easy, but it is not, A pattern is al
ways fitted beforehand, but 1t is rare
ly the case that the result is satisfac-
tory the first time. Some necks re-
Quire straight collars and others
Slightly curved. The same care is Civ.
en- to the fitting of Il collaret MS to the
set Of an expensive gown, and 1t has
to be tried on and changed and ad-
justed as many times.
Dividers are used to gauge the exact
position In which the vertical diamond
bars that support the strands of pearls
should be placed. Endless care and
Judgment may be given to laying out
the pattern for one of these baubles
and getting the measurements abso-
lutely exact, but when 1t comes to be
fitted there is sure TO be trouble. 1t
may be too tight at the bottom and