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If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: Jewels and the woman - The romance, magic and art of feminine adornment - -Author: Marianne Ostier - -Release Date: September 25, 2022 [eBook #69046] - -Language: English - -Produced by: Tim Lindell and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at - https://www.pgdp.net (This book was produced from images - made available by the HathiTrust Digital Library.) - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JEWELS AND THE WOMAN *** - - - - - - -JEWELS _and the_ WOMAN - - - - - _by Marianne_ OSTIER - - JEWELS _and the_ WOMAN - - _The Romance, Magic and Art of Feminine Adornment_ - - HORIZON PRESS _New York_ - - - - -_Note_: For centuries it has been the custom for jewelers to identify -their designs by stamping their hallmark on jewels. The reproduction on -page 20 is of Marianne Ostier’s hallmark. _Unless otherwise noted in the -captions, jewels here reproduced have been designed by Marianne Ostier. -All jewels are illustrated in actual size, with the exception of the -portraits and Illustration 17._ - - * * * * * - -_Credits and Acknowledgments_: The author wishes to thank all the people -who have given time, information and encouragement to the work on this -book. Particular thanks are due Mr. George D. Skinner of N. W. Ayer & -Son Inc. for supplying invaluable information; Miss Dorothy Dignam, of -the same firm, for her inspiring enthusiasm and knowledge; Mr. Lansford -F. King, publisher of the _Jewelers’ Circular Keystone_, for his endless -confidence in the work which made the completion of this book possible; -and Mr. Albert E. Haase, president of the Jewelry Industry Council, for -the many helpful facts from his special fund of knowledge. - -For contributing to the visual quality of this book, grateful -acknowledgment is made to the Jewelry Industry Council for the -frontispiece colorplates; The Metropolitan Museum of Art for -Illustrations 1 through 8; the British Information Service for -Illustrations 11, 12 and 15; and Trude Fleischmann for Illustrations 28 -and 29. - - * * * * * - -_©1958 by Marianne Ostier_ - -_Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 58-10224_ - -_Manufactured in the United States of America_ - -_All original designs as well as the text by Marianne Ostier are -protected by copyright and may not be copied or reproduced without -permission in writing from the author and publisher._ - - - - -THE BIRTHSTONES - -[Illustration: _Garnet_ - -JANUARY] - -[Illustration: _Amethyst_ - -FEBRUARY] - -[Illustration: _Aquamarine_ - -MARCH] - -[Illustration: _Diamond_ - -APRIL] - -[Illustration: _Emerald_ - -MAY] - -[Illustration: _Pearl_ - -_Alexandrite_ - -JUNE] - -[Illustration: _Ruby_ - -JULY] - -[Illustration: _Peridot_ - -AUGUST] - -[Illustration: _Sapphire_ - -SEPTEMBER] - -[Illustration: _Opal_ - -_Tourmaline_ - -OCTOBER] - -[Illustration: _Topaz_ - -NOVEMBER] - -[Illustration: _Turquoise_ - -_Zircon_ - -DECEMBER] - - - - -_Contents_ - - - _Foreword_ _17_ - - PART 1: _Jewels: History, Character, Magic_ - - _Chapter 1: The Story of Jewels_ _23_ - - THE EARLIEST USES 23 EGYPT AND THE NEAR EAST 26 WESTWARD TO - THE GREEKS 29 ETRUSCAN ACHIEVEMENTS 30 THE ROMAN CONQUEST - 31 THE VOGUE OF THE PEARL 41 ROMAN LUXURY 42 THE TIDE TURNS - EAST 42 EASTWARD TO INDIA 43 OVER THE CHINESE WALL 44 DARK - AGE OF THE DIAMOND 45 TRIBES TO THE NORTH 45 THE CELTS AND - THE EMERALD ISLE 46 THE ANGLO-SAXONS 47 JEWELS IN ENGLISH - HISTORY 47 EDWARD THE CONFESSOR’S JEWELS 48 GROWTH OF - THE GOLDSMITHS’ GUILD 48 THE ITALIANS IN THE RENAISSANCE - 49 THE RENAISSANCE ACROSS EUROPE 50 THE REFORMATION 51 - THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY 52 ON THE ROMANTICS 53 INTO THE - NINETEENTH CENTURY 54 THE TWENTIETH CENTURY 55 - - _Chapter 2: What the Stones Are_ _57_ - - WHAT THE STONES ARE 57 THE GEMS 58 DIAMOND 58 RUBY 60 - SAPPHIRE 62 EMERALD 63 PEARL 64 OTHER STONES 67 ALEXANDRITE - 68 AMETHYST 68 AQUAMARINE 69 BERYL 69 CARNELIAN 70 - CAT’S-EYE 70 CHALCEDONY 71 CHRYSOBERYL 71 CHRYSOLITE 71 - CHRYSOPRASE 72 CITRINE 72 CORAL 72 GARNET 73 HYACINTH 74 - JACINTH 74 JADE 74 JASPER 75 JET 75 KUNZITE 76 LAPIS LAZULI - 76 MALACHITE 77 MOONSTONE 77 ONYX 77 OPAL 78 PERIDOT 79 - QUARTZ 79 SARD 80 SARDONYX 80 SPINEL 80 TOPAZ 81 TOURMALINE - 81 TURQUOISE 82 ZIRCON 82 - - _Chapter 3: Birthstones and the Magic of Gems_ _83_ - - THE SEASONS 83 THE DAYS OF THE WEEK 84 SUNDAY 84 MONDAY 84 - TUESDAY 85 WEDNESDAY 85 THURSDAY 85 FRIDAY 86 SATURDAY 86 - THE MONTHS 87 TABLE OF BIRTHSTONES 87 JANUARY—GARNET 88 - FEBRUARY—AMETHYST 89 MARCH—AQUAMARINE 90 APRIL—DIAMOND 91 - MAY—EMERALD 92 JUNE—PEARL 94 JULY—RUBY 96 AUGUST—SARDONYX - OR PERIDOT 97 SEPTEMBER—SAPPHIRE 99 OCTOBER—OPAL 100 - NOVEMBER—TOPAZ 102 DECEMBER—TURQUOISE 104 SIGNS OF THE - STARS 113 THE ZODIAC 113 ARIES, THE RAM 114 TAURUS, THE - BULL 114 GEMINI, THE TWINS 115 CANCER, THE CRAB 115 LEO, - THE LION 115 VIRGO, THE VIRGIN 115 LIBRA, THE SCALES 116 - SCORPIO, THE SCORPION 116 SAGITTARIUS, THE ARCHER 116 - CAPRICORN, THE GOAT 116 AQUARIUS, THE WATER CARRIER 117 - PISCES, THE FISHES 117 - - PART 2: _The Art of Feminine Adornment_ - - _Chapter 4: The Art of Feminine Adornment_ _121_ - - ROYAL CROWNS OF BRITAIN 122 EVERYWOMAN’S QUEEN 123 A - STONE’S BEST SETTING 123 TYPES OF WOMEN 124 THE MAJOR - METALS 125 THE BASIC DESIGNS 125 - - _Chapter 5: The Earclip_ _127_ - - THE SUPREME IMPORTANCE OF THE EARCLIP 127 EARRINGS THROUGH - THE AGES 127 THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE EARS 129 THE EARCLIP - AND THE FACIAL CONTOUR 130 THE SHAPE OF YOUR FACE 131 - DETAILS OF THE FACE 132 VERSATILE EARCLIPS 133 THE HAIR - AND THE EARCLIP 133 THE BRUNETTE 134 THE DARK-HAIRED 134 - THE REDHEAD 135 THE BLONDE 135 AS THE HAIR TURNS GREY 136 - IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS IN SELECTING EARCLIPS 136 - - _Chapter 6: The Necklace_ _139_ - - THE SYMBOLISM OF THE NECKLACE 139 THE GENERAL EFFECT 140 - THE DIAMOND NECKLACE 141 THE RIVIÈRE 141 THE BAGUETTE - NECKLACE 142 THE PEARL NECKLACE 142 THE COLORS OF THE PEARL - 143 FOR THE BRUNETTE 143 FOR THE BLONDE AND THE REDHEAD 144 - FOR A LONG NECK 144 FOR A WIDE NECK 145 SIZE OF PEARLS 145 - THE PROPER STRINGING OF PEARLS 145 THE NECKLACE CLASP 146 - DESIGNS FOR CLASPS 146 FOR FORMAL WEAR 147 THE SENTIMENTAL - CLASP 148 FITTING THE PEARL NECKLACE 148 THE BEAD NECKLACE - 149 FASHIONS FROM INDIA 149 OTHER NECKLACE JEWELS 150 THE - NECKLACE OF GOLD 151 APPENDAGES: THE TASSEL 152 APPENDAGES: - THE SINGLE DROP 152 TRANSFORMATIONS 153 MY OWN CONVERSIONS - 153 WHAT A WOMAN WEARS, OTHERS SEE 154 - - _Chapter 7: The Ring_ _157_ - - THE GIVING OF A RING 157 CONSIDER THE HAND 158 PROPORTIONS - OF THE HAND 158 THE DIAMOND RING: THE ENGAGEMENT RING 159 - THE WEDDING RING 160 THE WEARING OF THE BAND 161 THE PEARL - RING 162 THE BLACK PEARL 162 DECORATIVE RINGS 163 MATCHED - WITH EARCLIPS 164 INTERCHANGEABLE CENTERS 164 RING SIZES - 165 RINGS AND NAIL POLISH 166 ABOUT WEARING A RING 166 - - _Chapter 8: The Bracelet_ _169_ - - EARLY USES 169 THE EMPERORS OF INDIA 169 VARIOUS MATERIALS - 170 TYPES OF BRACELETS 170 FAVORITE SHAPES 171 THE SPECIAL - CLASP 171 BRACELET WIDTH 172 FOR THE SLIM ARM 172 FOR THE - HEAVIER WRIST 172 FITTING A BRACELET 173 GENERAL THOUGHTS - 173 THE ANKLET 174 - - _Chapter 9: Pins, Brooches and Clips_ _175_ - - ELABORATE PINS 175 THE SIMPLER CLIP 176 ITS VERSATILITY - 176 ITS PERSONALITY 185 THE CHANGE IN THE BROOCH 185 THE - OLD DOUBLE CLIP 186 THE NEW DOUBLE CLIP 187 THE ABSTRACT - DESIGN 187 THE FLOWER DESIGN 188 EARLIER FLOWERS 189 - CURRENT VARIETIES 190 THE ROSE 190 THE SKINPIN 191 THE - SCATTERPIN 191 THE JEWELLED HAIRPIN 192 THE MOBILE CLIP 192 - THE SENTIMENTAL BROOCH 193 REPLICAS OF PETS 194 PINS HOLD - MEMORIES 194 PRACTICAL PRINCIPLES 195 - - _Chapter 10: Watches_ _197_ - - QUEEN ELIZABETH I 197 PRINCESS SOPHIA 197 EARLY FORMS 198 - WHERE TO WEAR THE WATCH 199 JEWELLED HOURS 200 IN FRONT OF - YOUR MIRROR 202 - - PART 3: _The Etiquette of Wearing Jewels_ - - _Chapter 11: The Etiquette of Wearing Jewels_ _207_ - - EN ROUTE 208 WEEKEND 208 GARDEN PARTY 209 THE BEACH 209 - ON THE GOLF COURSE 210 AT THE RACES 210 BUSINESS LUNCHEONS - 211 THE CHARITY LUNCHEON 212 OPENING NIGHT 212 MATCHING - THE GOWN 213 MATCHING THE MAN 213 SOME BASIC RULES 214 THE - DINNER PARTY 215 THE WATCH 216 THE CIGARETTE CASE 216 THE - HOSTESS 216 AT THE WHITE HOUSE 217 THE PRESIDENT’S DINNER - 218 THE CAPTAIN’S DINNER 218 EMBASSY PARTIES 220 MEETING - ROYALTY 221 CORONATION 221 A QUEEN’S CROWN 222 WHEN EVERY - WOMAN IS QUEEN 223 THE BRIDESMAIDS 224 THE MOTHER OF THE - BRIDE 225 THE WEDDING GUESTS 225 THE NEWBORN 226 THE - ANNIVERSARY 227 TABLE OF ANNIVERSARY GIFTS 227 THE MORE - SOLEMN TIME 228 AUDIENCE WITH THE POPE 229 IN MOURNING 229 - OTHER OBSERVATIONS 230 COLOR COMBINATIONS 230 RESTRAINT 230 - EYEGLASSES 231 THE LORGNETTE 231 THE CORSAGE 232 EMBROIDERY - 232 MORE ABOUT BRACELETS 232 MORE ABOUT RINGS 234 GOLD - JEWELS 234 IN THE SPOTLIGHT 234 - - _Chapter 12: Jewels as Gifts_ _237_ - - GIVE YOURSELF 237 GIFTS OF LASTING VALUE 238 GIFTS TO THE - BABY 238 TO THE MOTHER TOO 239 AS THE CHILD GROWS 239 ST. - VALENTINE’S DAY 239 COLLEGE DAYS 240 THE WEDDING DAY 240 - FOR THE BRIDESMAIDS 241 FOR THE USHERS 241 OTHER GIFTS - TO THE BRIDE 242 PARENTS’ DAYS 242 FOR LATER BIRTHDAYS - 243 GIFTS FOR THE MAN 244 THE WIFE’S ROLE 244 THE RIGHT - ACCESSORIES 245 THE PERSONAL TOUCH 245 SPECIAL GIFTS 246 - HISTORIC GIFTS 246 THE PRESENTATION OF A GIFT 247 - - PART 4: _The Techniques and Care of Jewels_ - - _Chapter 13: The Techniques of Gems_ _259_ - - DEFINITIONS 259 LIGHT ON THE STONES 260 STAR GEMS 260 THE - PEARL 261 CUTTING THE STONES 261 CABOCHON 262 FACETS 262 - TYPES OF FACETING 263 HARDNESS OF THE STONES 264 QUALITIES - OF A STONE 267 MEASUREMENT 268 THE PRECIOUS METALS 268 - ALLOYS 269 - - _Chapter 14: The Care of Jewels_ _271_ - - HOW TO CARE FOR JEWELS 271 HOME CARE 271 CLEANING DON’TS 272 - PEARLS 272 REMINDERS 273 MORE CAUTIONING 274 FOR TRAVEL 274 - INSURANCE 275 THE TRAVELING CASE 275 REGISTERING JEWELS 276 - TRAVELING CAUTIONS 277 - - _Chapter 15: Jewelry Up to Date_ _279_ - - THE OLD AND THE ANTIQUE 279 OLD JEWELRY WITH NEW - POSSIBILITIES 280 THE CONTEMPORARY JEWELS 281 MODERN - MOVEMENT 281 THE JEWELER AS ARTIST 283 VARIED STONES 283 - VARIED TREATMENT 284 REMODELLING OF WATCHES 285 ADDING - PEARLS 285 INFINITE RICHES IN A LITTLE ROOM 286 - - PART 5: _The Story of Rings and Famous Stones_ - - _Chapter 16: Romance of Rings_ _289_ - - THE UNIVERSAL RING 289 THE MAGIC RING 289 DIVINING RINGS - 290 RENAISSANCE REMEDY RINGS 291 VISIBILITY RINGS 292 - RELIGIOUS RINGS 293 PRACTICAL RINGS 294 POISON RINGS 295 - HONORARY RINGS 296 POSIES AND LOVERS’ RINGS 296 THE NUPTIAL - RING 298 LESS SOLEMN MARRIAGE RINGS 299 COUNTING FINGERS - 301 MEMORIAL RINGS 302 - - _Chapter 17: Some Famous Stones_ _305_ - - THE BLACK PRINCE’S RUBY 305 OTHER PRECIOUS STONES 306 - THE CRYSTAL PALACE 307 THE DIAMONDS 307 THE KOHINOOR 308 - TAVERNIER 310 THE FLORENTINE 310 THE GREAT MOGUL 311 THE - ORLOFF 311 THE SHAH OF PERSIA 312 THE GREAT TABLE 313 THE - BLUE TAVERNIER 313 THE HOPE 314 THE JEHAN AKBAR SHAH 315 - THE CULLINAN 315 THE EXCELSIOR 316 THE REGENT 316 THE SANCY - 318 OUT OF THE EARTH 319 - - - - -_List of Illustrations_ - - - _Frontispiece_ - - THE BIRTHSTONES, COLORPLATES - - _Following Page 32_ - - 1. GREEK EARRINGS, 5TH CENTURY B.C. - - 2. CYPRIOTE PENDANT, 8TH CENTURY B.C. - - 3. EARLY 18TH CENTURY ITALIAN BROOCH - - 4. EGYPTIAN BRACELET, 4TH CENTURY B.C. - - 5. ETRUSCAN RING - - 6. 18TH CENTURY ITALIAN RING - - 7. CYPRIOTE RING - - 8. ROMAN WREATH, 3RD CENTURY B.C. - - 9. INSIDE VIEW OF THE FAMOUS OLD TIFFANY STORE, NEW YORK, 1875 - - 10. THE CROWNING OF A QUEEN - - 11. THE BRITISH CROWN JEWELS - - 12. THE BRITISH CROWN JEWELS - - 13. REMODELLING THE IMPERIAL STATE CROWN - - 14. EMPRESS ELISABETH OF AUSTRIA - - _Following Page 104_ - - 15. QUEEN ELIZABETH II - - 16. PEARL AND BAGUETTE DIAMOND EARCLIPS - - 17. DEEP SEA ALGAE - - 18. DOUBLE ROSE CLIP - - 19. DIAMOND AND PEARL LEAVES - - 20. PEARL AND DIAMOND NECKLACE - - 21. PEARL RING - - 22. QUEEN GERALDINE OF ALBANIA - - 23. DIAMOND NECKLACE - - 24. DIAMONDS CAUGHT IN A NET - - 25. NECKLACE FOR A BRIDE - - 26. DIAMOND PINCUSHION ORNAMENT - - 27. DIAMOND PINCUSHION ORNAMENT - - 28. MARIANNE OSTIER - - _Following Page 176_ - - 29. MRS. FREDERIC GIMBEL - - 30. BELLFLOWER BROOCH AND EARCLIPS - - 31. BRACELET AND ENGAGEMENT RING - - 32. DESIGN FOR A DIAMOND RING - - 33. DESIGN FOR A GOLD RING - - 34. DESIGN FOR A FORMAL DIAMOND AND PLATINUM BRACELET - - 35. DIAMOND AND PEARL BRACELET - - 36. DESIGN FOR A BRACELET - - 37. TREE OF LIFE - - 38. DESIGN FOR A MULTI-PURPOSE JEWEL - - 39. AURORA BOREALIS - - 40. FLOWER FANTASY - - 41. DIAMOND HAIR ORNAMENT - - 42. THREE-STRAND PEARL BRACELET - - 43. MISS BLANCHE THEBOM - - 44. CANTERBURY BELL - - 45. GOLD SHELL FOR INFORMAL WEAR - - 46. FLOWER LAPEL BROOCH - - 47. MRS. TEX MC CRARY - - _Following Page 256_ - - 48. PORTRAIT OF H. H. INDIRA DEVI - - 49. SPRAY PIN DESIGN - - 50. DESIGN FOR A DIAMOND CUP - - 51. DESIGN FOR A DOUBLE CLIP - - 52. DESIGN FOR A GOLD AND DIAMOND PIN - - 53. PORTRAIT OF FLIPPY - - 54. FLORIAN - - 55. SET OF EARCLIPS AND BROOCH - - 56. GOLD AND DIAMOND WATCH - - 57. PEARL NECKLACE WITH TWO DIAMOND MOTIFS - - 58. TABLE OF DIAMONDS - - 59. MODELS OF THE KOHINOOR DIAMOND - - 60. GOLD CIGAR BOX - - - - -_Foreword_ - - -“Diamonds,” the song goes, “are a girl’s best friend.” Take special note -of the sex; it is significant. For only among humans has the female -increasingly become the adorned sex. The mane of the lion or of the -stallion gives the male a magnificence beyond the competence of the -lioness or the mare. It is the peacock that spreads the studded glory -of its tail—not the peahen. As among the birds and beasts, so primitive -man was the resplendent sex, while his mate went about her task, in more -subdued and humble tones. By the time of the Renaissance—it took that -long in civilization’s climb—men and women were about equal in their -adornment. In Europe, indeed, only men wore diamonds until 1444, when -King Charles VII of France (whom Joan of Arc had placed upon the throne) -was captivated by Agnes Sorel’s beauty and daring, when she appeared in a -superb necklace of diamonds. The diamond at once became the prized gem of -womankind. - -The costumes and jewels of the courtiers of Elizabeth I of England were -surpassed by those of the Queen only in the measure of her superior -station. Since then, however, the attire of men has grown increasingly -functional, sedate, and commonplace, while that of women has retained its -freedom of color and flow. And the great world of jewelry is preeminently -the woman’s domain. - -Scientists in several fields have sought the reasons for this change; we -may rest content with the fact. A man may be thought distinguished, or -perhaps handsome; only a woman may be called beautiful. And by proper -adornment of apparel and jewelry, every woman seeks to enhance her beauty. - -Certain austere sects frown upon “artificial” aids to beauty. In the -hills of Pennsylvania are honest women whose lips and cheeks have never -been touched by added color. But such persons are outside the main path -of human progress. For the quest of beauty—surely a legitimate and a -desirable quest—has taken the same path as the other great adventures of -man, which have placed him supreme among all living creatures. - -Look at the problem of security. The bear can strike a tremendous blow -with his paw. The tiger springs with fierce gash of fang and claw. The -eagle pounces with deadly talon and beak. Beside these, how puny the fist -of man! But the bear, the tiger, the eagle remain with but these weapons, -while man closed his tiny hand around a club, then hurled a spear, then -winged his bow with arrows, shot forth his bullets and his bombs. While -the animals mark a dead end of evolution, man continued to evolve by -“artificial” extensions of his powers. - -The same is true in every field. The news of the victory of Marathon was -borne by a runner, who coursed the twenty-four miles, gasped out his -word of triumph, and dropped dead. Since then man has harnessed the ox, -mounted the horse, and surpassed all other creatures in means of travel -upon and within the waters, across the earth, high and higher in the air. - -So in the realm of beauty. First man painted his naked body. Then he -adorned himself with claws and teeth torn from the animals, with feathers -plucked from the birds. Soon he discovered the sheen of precious metals, -the sparkle of gems. The progress of adornment, from ancient Egypt to -the twentieth century world, has been marked by the further discovery -and refinement of metals and the design of jewels. Synthetic gems and -costume jewelry have given to every woman opportunities once limited -to the wealthy few; the principles applicable to the wearing of costly -jewels are the same for their less expensive cousins. And the pattern of -the quest of personal beauty is in line with the general pattern of human -evolution. - -Although we have approached beauty through these somewhat solemn -reflections, we must not forget that the best reflection of beauty is in -the admiring eye of the beholder. It is a mutual pleasure; but it is a -personal, an individual task. For it is every woman’s duty—not merely to -herself but to those around—to present her fairest aspect to the world. - -To the old remark: Love is blind, the cynic has added: But marriage is an -eye-opener. Of course, neither statement is true. While love may fasten -upon and prize other qualities, the lover is usually keenly aware of the -measure of his beloved’s beauty. He takes increasing pride and pleasure -as she finds fresh ways of enhancing her natural gifts. There is a lesson -hidden in the statement that if a woman is beautiful at fifteen she may -thank God, but if she is beautiful at fifty she has herself to thank. The -lesson is that a woman can learn what is seemly, what is becoming, what -adds to her beauty. - -One may look at precious stones and magnificent jewels ranged in a museum -or in a store. When they are being worn, we look not so much at them -as at the ensemble they help to create of a live alluring woman. The -Crown Jewels in the Tower of London are imposing. When they are worn -on occasions of state, the court regalia combine to keep them imposing -still: it is less a person than a position that they adorn. But with the -rest of us mortals, as even with queens in less stately hours, the jewels -must fit the person and the personality, as well as the occasion. - -What looks most attractive against the dark velvet on a counter may fail -to harmonize with golden glinting hair. The size of the earlobe, the -figure of the woman, the color of the dress, the activity of the evening, -all are factors in determining which jewels one should wear. Jewels have -a long history, but always an immediate test of use. In both aspects, -they hold an ever present allure. - - MARIANNE OSTIER - -[Illustration] - - - - -PART ONE - -[Illustration] - -_Jewels: History, Character, Magic_ - - - - -CHAPTER 1 - -_The Story of Jewels_ - - -_The Earliest Uses_ - -There are as many guesses about the origin of adornment as about the -origin of language. The most popular theories might be called the -functional, the magical, and the aesthetic. - -When man first felt cold, says the functional theory—or when he first -felt shame and hid his shame with the fig leaf—he had to find some -way of fastening his garments. The leaves, the furs, the hides, would -slip off unless adequately held together, especially when the man was -running in swift hunt, or the woman bending under domestic burdens. -The first fastenings were probably strands of vinestalks, lashes of -interlaced leaves. Then pins made of long thorns, of wood, or of the -bones of animals came into use. Pins of the last sort have been found -in prehistoric caves. Naturally, iron, bronze, silver and gold pins -followed, as the use of these metals became known. Crude safety pins, in -form essentially the same as those we use today, have been unearthed in -the most ancient tombs. - -The transition from bone to metal may be observed in the word _fibula_, -the early Latin word for a clasp. For the long outer leg bone is also -called the fibula, and it looks like the tongue of a clasp, for which the -other bone, the tibia, is the holder. And the word _fibula_ comes from -the Latin verb _fivere_, meaning to fasten. - -On even the earliest pins, however, and especially on the domed backs -of safety pins and clasps, there are curious carvings of dots and -circles and other forms, which give scope to the second theory of the -origin of adornment, the magical. For along with these fasteners are -found necklaces of beads and other adornments that served no practical -end—except the very important purpose of placating the gods, of warding -off evil. - -The telling of rosary beads, widespread today in Moslem as in Catholic -lands, is a milder modern aid to prayer; in primitive times the need for -protection was no less frequent and more desperate. Those of us who carry -a rabbit’s foot or other charm, who put an amulet in our automobile to -help us drive safely, who still “knock wood” to keep away mischance, need -not smile at our far-off ancestors who engraved their beads with potent -symbols or wore a scarab, preferably carved of precious stone, to keep -all ills away. Charms and amulets were on every neck and arm. The devils -were all about; they whirled in the tempest; they sprang suddenly in the -form of a wild beast; they twisted one’s ankle as a jungle vine. And -every stone-age child knew that the agate protected one against thunder -and against tiger bite. If the agate was ringed like an eye, especially a -tiger’s eye, it could outstare and drive away the fiercest fiend. To turn -away the fangs of the venomous hidden snake, what better charm than lapis -lazuli? Thus each of the colored stones known to the ancients had its -special powers, or could be carved with symbols and signs of might—and -jewels were worn to ward off all misfortune. Even among the ancient -Greeks, it was recognized that (as the slave in Aristophanes’ play -_Plutus_ observes) there is no amulet that can save one from “the bite of -a sycophant.” - -The third theory of the origin of adornment, the aesthetic, declares that -man is born with a love of beauty. There is no question—and if there -were, modern research has answered it—that the bright trinket attracts -the babe. When one is happy one wants to sing; when one sees beauty, one -wants to experience it with the gift of sight or, if it is tangible, to -put it on. And ever to increase earth’s store of beauty. We cannot snare -a sunrise, but we can make a garland of spring flowers. Even before he -fashioned beads, primitive man adorned himself with necklaces of shells, -of bears’ claws, stags’ teeth—probably also of many colored berries, -but these have crumbled in the caves. Such findings are so widespread -that Carlyle declared: “The first spiritual want of a barbarous man is -decoration.” - -Since the question of origins is buried in surmise, it seems fair to -follow that eminent advocate of the middle way, Sir Roger de Coverley, -and allow that there is something to be said for all three theories. Each -impulse, to hold up clothing, to ward off evil, to enjoy beauty—power, -protection, pleasure—may have had a share in the birth of adornment. It -is true that there are paintings and statues, in the early tombs, of -women clad only in their jewels. But while queens, and the concubines of -kings might be thus untrammeled in their quest of beauty, humbler folk at -work needed workaday attire. And always the magicians, the medicine men, -then the priests, wove their holy spells, with mitre and chalice and ring -inscribed with the secret words of power. A monarch of early times was an -impressive sight, as not only his rings, his armlets and neckpiece, but -his breastplate, the buckle of his belt, and the hilt of his sword were -carved with sacred symbols and crusted with precious stones. Here were -protection, power, and grandeur intertwined. - -Perhaps the earliest jewelry to which we can attach an owner’s name was -in the find unearthed in 1901 by Flinders Petrie in the royal tombs at -Abydos. It is a bracelet of golden hawks, rising from alternate blocks -of turquoise and gold, and it belonged to the Egyptian Queen of Zer -back in 5400 B.C. Somewhat later lived the Princess Knumit, whose mummy -was adorned with all manner of jewels, anklets, bracelets, armlets, -headbands, including a serpent necklace of beads of gold, silver, -carnelian, lapis lazuli, and emerald, and hieroglyphics wrought in gold -with inlaid gems. From Chaldea, as early as 3000 B.C., we have beads, and -jewelry of lapis lazuli, and headdresses of finely beaten gold. - - -_Egypt and the Near East_ - -A panel in one of the pyramids gives us a realistic picture of the -interior of a jeweler’s shop of long ago. The master craftsman, his -bookkeeper, his workers and his apprentices are all busy at their tasks. -We see them selecting, cutting, grinding, firing, shaping, setting, -polishing, with tools that have changed little in 3000 years. The jewels -we know today are all present there: diadems, earrings, brooches, -bracelets, rings, girdles, anklets. The necklace seems to have been, in -most cases, a wide tight band, almost a collar; on many a mummy such a -“choker” has been preserved, studded with jewels, the gold between often -in the shape of a falcon, or a lotus, or a sphinx. Favorite among the -designs, of course, was the scarab; in the mummy itself, a scarab was -inserted to take the place of the heart. - -Two ornaments common in ancient Egypt are not found in use today. One -is the pectoral, a great bejeweled breastpiece, usually hung from the -neck. The other is the golden wig cover. The great men and women of the -eighteenth century B.C. wore long black wigs (in contrast to the great -men of the eighteenth century A.D.; George Washington’s inaugural wig, -was, of course, powdered white). Close-fitting over these black wigs -were joined rows of gold bands or medallions, beaten fine, fastened -together, forming a complete cover that reached to the shoulders. The -bands bore hieroglyphics, the medallions were usually shaped like -heads of man or beast. One other difference from later times: for the -snuffbox of the eighteenth century A.D., or the cigarette lighter of the -twentieth, society folk in ancient Egypt carried a perfume box. - -The Egyptians had many rings, including signet rings. These were -intaglios; that is, the design was cut into, hollowed out of, the metal -or stone, so that when the ring was pressed on clay or wax it would -leave a raised design like a cameo. The design might be a god, or a -sacred animal such as a scarab or a sphinx, usually with an indication -of the identity of the owner. Thus the King’s seal, and especially the -King’s signet ring if borne by a messenger, carried the royal authority. -Jezebel, wife of Ahab, King of the Israelites, used the seal of her royal -spouse on the letters she wrote to destroy Naboth, whose vineyard they -coveted. - -The Israelites, indeed, wore rings on their fingers, in their nostrils, -in their ears, and we are told that when they walked there was a tinkling -about their feet. They also wore a gem pressed into the soft side of the -nostril, a favorite spot for display through the Near East, still adorned -by a gem among the Bedouins and the Hindus of today. The Israelites gave -of these jewels in great quantity to adorn the Tabernacle that was built -in the wilderness—and also for the making of the Golden Calf. - -Legend has it that Solomon’s wisdom emanated from a magic ring. One day -he carelessly left this ring behind him at the bath, and with the water -of his bath it was thrown into the sea. Solomon retained enough wisdom to -suspend his legal court for forty days, after which the ring came back to -him in the stomach of a fish served at his table. A similar story of a -jewel returned in the belly of a fish is told by Polycrates, tyrant of -Samos in 530 B.C. Like stories occur in _The Thousand and One Nights_; -and the coat of arms of the city of Glasgow contains a salmon with a ring -in its mouth, memorializing the occasion when St. Kentigern from the -fish’s mouth restored to an early queen her ring and her reputation. - -Oriental tales have many accounts of magic rings. One of the most -elaborate deals with Gyges, a Lydian noble to whom King Candaules, proud -of the possession of a beautiful wife, displayed her in her undraped -beauty. The resourceful Gyges descended into a chasm of the earth, where -he found a brazen horse with a human carcass in its belly. From the -body Gyges took a ring which, when he turned the stone inward, made him -invisible. Thus fortified, Gyges entered the palace and murdered the -king. The widow, Nyssia, married him; he reigned thirty-eight years, from -716 to 678 B.C., with the help of the ring becoming so powerful and so -rich that men spoke proverbially of “the wealth of Gyges.” - -Another ring, as remembered by Chaucer in _The Squire’s Tale_, gave a -man the power to understand the language of the birds. The reader may -remember that the messenger between King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba -was a bird that whispered in their ears. We gather such stories from -early days literally through a fabulous thousand and one nights. - -Although jewelry was a preeminent concern of the Egyptians, because they -must be adorned not only in this world but in the next, it was a lively -preoccupation throughout the Near East, the cradle of civilization. -Babylonian and Assyrian tombs yield treasures in splendidly mounted -jewels. A description of the goddess Ishtar, descending through the Seven -Gates to the ultimate world, pictures her at each gate putting aside a -separate jewel, finger rings, toe rings, necklace, earrings, armlet, -brooch, girdle: she passes through the final gate in unadorned beauty. - -Among the jewels of ancient Persia, from the fourth century B.C., is a -great necklace of three rows of pearls, almost 500 pearls in all, half of -them still well preserved across the flight of twenty-five centuries. - - -_Westward to the Greeks_ - -There exist some examples of Greek art in early times. A gold and -silver brooch in the form of a flower may have been shaped about 1400 -B.C. Perhaps 500 years later, by the time of the Trojan War, there were -inlays, intaglios, even small plaques of gold with hooks to fit the ear. -In the fifth century, when the great dramatists filled the theatres, -Greek lapidaries were making filigree and enamels of fruit and flowers—a -bit later, of the fair feminine form. By this time, too, the Greeks were -copying the designs they saw on, or bought from, Egyptian and Phoenician -traders; the sphinx and the scarab appear in Hellenic workmanship. - -Originators are held by their new problems to a sort of modesty in -design. Imitators often—striving to outdo—overdo. The Greeks grew far -more elaborate than their predecessors. The great Greek sculptors were -delighted with the human figure which posed sufficient problems, either -bare or simply draped. But outside of statuary, and after the great fifth -and fourth centuries, the wealthy Greeks in their ways of life had caught -the fever of display. Their jewelry must surpass that of the eastern -barbarians to whom they were bringing the benefits of Greek culture. From -every medallion of a necklace, for example, might hang a pendant. And -this pendant might be a tiny golden vase, which contained perfume—each -vase a different fragrance—or which might open to reveal a series of -figures—as, later, baroque rosary beads opened to reveal, in minute -carving, episodes in the life of the Virgin Mary. - -A portrait of Alexander the Great was a favorite figure, in many -materials and forms. Although Alexander gave one artist exclusive right -to reproduce his likeness after his death, as this monopoly lapsed there -was a boom on “good luck” jeweled representations of the man who wept -because there were no more worlds for him to conquer. - -The Greeks did not ape all the antics of the Phoenicians, some of whose -high-born ladies pierced the entire rim of their ears, as well as the -lobe, each jewel in its eyelet supporting a pendant stone. The Greeks -used but one ornament per ear; but these grew larger and larger, more and -more weighted with metal and studded with jewels, and so were finally -worn suspended from a diadem or a cloth band. - -Alexander’s conquests having taken the Greeks into farther lands and -introduced them to unsuspected splendors of the Orient, they carried home -gems that before had been unfamiliar to them: the topaz, the amethyst, -the aquamarine. - - -_Etruscan Achievements_ - -In Italy, meanwhile, the Etruscans had brought the work of the goldsmith -and the lapidary to a high peak of artistry. They developed the swivel -ring, in which the mounted gem or special charm might be turned about, so -that any face of it could be displayed. Thus the carvings on the belly of -a scarab became as important as the design on its back. - -The Etruscans also made circular or oval bands of earrings and necklaces, -within which a pendant might hang free, a gently swinging precious stone -or golden charm. From their necklaces often hung a hollow pendant, in -which an amulet might be placed. They made many headpieces, bands, -wreaths, and pins of beaten or granulated gold. - -Especially deft was the work of the Etruscans in granulated gold. -Onto a metal surface they soldered tiny specks of gold, almost as -fine as powder, producing the effect of a rich grain. The artistry of -the Etruscan work was so superb that when it was recovered during the -Renaissance, Benvenuto Cellini (1500-1571), the greatest goldsmith of his -time, despaired of making successful copies of the Etruscan pieces and -decided to shape designs of his own devising, “inferior as they may be.” - - -_The Roman Conquest_ - -The whole Etruscan civilization gave way before the splendor that was -Rome. Home from their conquests the Romans brought great stores of -jewels, treasures of the Orient. Before the crowding and gaping throngs -of the imperial city, the “triumphs” of their rulers marched for hours -through the streets of Rome, while foreign potentates pulled chariots -bearing their conquerors and carts with the loot of their palaces. At -Pompey’s third triumph, in addition to countless gold and silver cases -bestudded with gems, there were three dining-couches adorned with pearls, -and a great chessboard, three feet by four, wrought of two precious -stones, with a golden moon, weighing thirty pounds. - -The Romans also brought home artisans, metal workers and jewelers, from -whom after a time the natives learned their craft. Again we find the -victors trying to outdo the vanquished whom they naturally despised. The -adornments of men and women grew more and more massive. Women’s hairpins -were eight and ten inches long. Rings were worn upon every finger. Great -thumb rings were set with jewels or made of gold in various designs, -especially the heads of animals. Some of the bands of gold were very -large but hollow; down the ages echo complaints that, in accident or -brawl, a golden ring was crushed. The wealthy, of course, insisted on -rings of solid gold. These became so heavy that some had to be worn -in cold weather only, lighter ones being designed for summer wear. A -specialty among the patricians came to be the key ring, a golden band -with the key devised to lie flat along the finger, thus keeping with the -master the safety of his treasures. Often a large iron key ring was worn -by the chief steward of an estate; this opened the strongbox, which might -hold the dinner plate and other daily valuables, and within a recess of -which nestled the treasure chest of the golden key. - -So great was the jeweled extravagance of the late Republic that Cato -the Censor (234-149 B.C.) sought by legislation to limit the amount of -jewelry one might wear. He also restricted the use of metal in rings, -assigning iron, silver, or gold according to rank. Gold was reserved -for the official ring of the Senator, which he himself might wear only -when on duty. Naturally such restrictions could not be binding for long. -Censorship usually produces an exaggeration of what it has tried to curb. -In the early days of the Empire everyone worth his salt manifested his -worth with adornments. - -The citizens favored bright colors in their jewels: reds, yellows, blues. -The drivers at the chariot races wore different colors; spectators bet -on the red, the yellow, or the blue, and many a precious stone changed -hands according to the speed of the horses and the drivers’ skill. If a -lapidary could not secure precious stones large enough, or in quantities -to meet the ever increasing demand, he made imitations of colored glass. -Although Pliny cried out against the practice of making false gems, the -usual purchaser had few tests to show when he was cheated. - -[Illustration: 1. GREEK EARRINGS, 5TH CENTURY B.C. _Wrought in gold, -these ancient loops end in lions’ heads. (Courtesy of the Metropolitan -Museum of Art)_] - -[Illustration: 2. CYPRIOTE PENDANT, 8TH CENTURY B.C. _This gold pendant -with chains is an excellent example of the simple beauty found in the -jewelry of ancient Cyprus. (Courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art)_] - -[Illustration: 3. EARLY 18TH CENTURY ITALIAN BROOCH. (_Courtesy of the -Metropolitan Museum of Art)_] - -[Illustration: 4. EGYPTIAN BRACELET, 4TH CENTURY B.C. _“Costume jewelry” -from the Ptolemaic Period. (Courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art)_] - -[Illustration: 5. ETRUSCAN RING. _This handsome gold ring is set with a -banded agate which has been engraved with a satyr and a goat. (Courtesy -of the Metropolitan Museum of Art)_] - -[Illustration: 6. 18TH CENTURY ITALIAN RING. _The seal on this silver -ring is probably an effigy of one of the popes. The plaques represent St. -George and the dragon, and the crest of Pope Clement XII. (Courtesy of -the Metropolitan Museum of Art)_] - -[Illustration: 7. CYPRIOTE RING. _Ancient gold worked in a spiral to -produce an unusual piece of jewelry. (Courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum -of Art)_] - -[Illustration: 8. ROMAN WREATH, 3RD CENTURY B.C. _The expert -craftsmanship of Roman metalwork can be seen in this gold wreath of ivy -leaves. (Courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art)_] - -[Illustration: 9. INSIDE VIEW OF THE FAMOUS OLD TIFFANY STORE, NEW YORK, -1875.] - -[Illustration: 10. THE CROWNING OF A QUEEN. _Queen Mary wears four of -the magnificent gems cut from the Cullinan, the biggest diamond ever -mined. On her bodice, pinned to the ribbon of the Order of the Garter, -is the 317-carat Cullinan II with the 530-carat Great Star of Africa -below it. These two gems normally are in the State crown and the Scepter -respectively. At the base of her diamond collar are the Cullinan IV, a -cushion-cut diamond of 64 carats and the Cullinan III, a pearshape-cut -diamond of 95 carats._] - -[Illustration: 11, 12. THE BRITISH CROWN JEWELS. _Left: The Crown of -England, known as St. Edward’s Crown because it was copied, in the time -of Charles II, from the ancient crown worn by Edward the Confessor, has -been used by many of England’s monarchs for their coronation. Right: -The Imperial State Crown is worn by the reigning monarch on all State -occasions. Made in 1838, it embodies many historical gems, including the -Black Prince’s Ruby, a sapphire from the ring of Edward the Confessor and -the second Star of Africa. In all, the crown contains 2,783 diamonds, -277 pearls, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds and five rubies. (Courtesy of the -British Information Services)_] - -[Illustration: 13. REMODELLING THE IMPERIAL STATE CROWN. _Remodelling -work in progress at the Goldsmiths & Silversmiths Company in London._] - -[Illustration: 14. EMPRESS ELISABETH OF AUSTRIA. _This portrait of one of -the beauties of 19th century Europe shows the young Empress wearing hair -ornaments of diamond stars which have quivering centers._] - - -_The Vogue of the Pearl_ - -The notorious pearl-drinking dare of Cleopatra caught the fancy of the -Romans. The serpent of the Nile dissolved a _union_ (the Roman word for -pearl was _unionem_, in this case truly symbolic) worth half a million -dollars, and drank it as a pledge to her Antony. Cleopatra killed herself -rather than walk in the triumph of Emperor Augustus, but the Emperor’s -favorite, Agrippa, we are told, secured the mate to Cleopatra’s pearl. -She had this great pearl halved, for the ears of the statue of Venus in -the Pantheon. - -The vogue of the pearl swept over Rome. This “disease of the oyster,” -with its blush of rainbow colors over white, with its tint of beauty and -its hint of underwater mystery, had indeed always been regarded as the -queen of jewels. The Romans affected it to the degree of vulgar display. -The historian Pliny (23-79 A.D.), who railed upon many customs of the -time, commented on Pompey’s having a portrait of himself made in pearls -and borne by slaves in his triumph. “Unworthy!” cried the satirist, “and -a presage of the anger of the gods.” Pliny also recorded that a young -bride was “covered from head to foot with pearls and emeralds.” He waxed -indignant at the fact that women had pearls set in their shoes. But so -did the Emperor Caligula, while the Emperor Nero, fond of the theatre, -had pearls adorn his favorite players’ masks. - -Not to be outdone by an Egyptian, Clodius—whose father was a favorite -tragic actor—invited a great company to a feast; he dissolved and drank -a large pearl, said that he enjoyed the flavor, and fed a similar gem to -every guest. - - -_Roman Luxury_ - -The vogue of the pearl did not bring about the neglect of other gems. -The Senator Nonius owned a great opal, valued at two million sesterces, -approximately $150,000. The Emperor Augustus coveted the stone; rather -than yield it to him, Nonius withdrew into exile. - -Lollia Paulina, wife of the Emperor Caligula, possessed a great chain of -emeralds and pearls worth over two million dollars. - -It is significant of the change in Roman ways that when the Emperor -Tiberius once more tried to limit the wearing of gold rings, he based his -restrictions not on rank but on riches. Only those citizens might wear -rings of gold, he ordained in 22 A.D., whose fathers and grandfathers -held property valued at 400,000 sesterces, $30,000. Jewels, always the -property, were thus also made the prerogative of the hereditary rich. - - -_The Tide Turns East_ - -Back from Rome toward the East, with Constantine in 330 A.D., went the -flowering fashions, to riot in Byzantine luxury. The Eastern capital -exceeded the declining city of the West—abandoned to the barbarians and -the popes—in extravagance, in colorful splendor and elaborate intricacy -of design. Gems, no longer reserved for the showy jewels, were sewn upon -or woven into the very texture of garments. In all this profusion, the -crafts of the goldsmith and the lapidary continued to thrive, while the -West lapsed into the dun rigor of the Dark Ages. - - -_Eastward to India_ - -More or less independently of the western world, the making of fine -jewels flourished in the Far East. In India the code of Manu, about 250 -B.C., prescribed fines for poor workmanship and for the debasing of -gold. A drama of the same period describes a workshop, with pearls and -emeralds, and artisans to grind lapis lazuli, to cut shells, to pierce -coral, and to make the filigree and other ornaments that have persisted -in that part of the world unchanged to our day. - -The lavishness of Oriental potentates is proverbial; their collections -of precious stones and elaborate jewels have been as fabulous as their -incalculable wealth. Almost to our own generation birthday gifts to -maharajahs have matched the monarch’s weight in gold or precious stones. -At the greatest period of Indian art, during the reign of the Mogul Shah -Jehan, who died in 1666, the art of jewelry almost merged with that of -architecture. In addition to the celebrated Peacock Throne, the Shah -built the Great Mosque at Delhi, and at Agra the Pearl Mosque and that -triumph of beauty, the Taj Mahal. This was erected as a mausoleum for -his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahall, who was called “the adornment of the -palace.” - -In addition to the designs and patterns of tile that are a feature of -the mosques, the Taj Mahal is adorned with great treasures of the East: -“jasper from the Punjab, carnelians from Broach, turquoises from Tibet, -agates from Yemen, lapis lazuli from Ceylon, coral from Arabia, garnets -from Bundelcund, diamonds from Punnah, rock crystal from Malwar, onyx -from Persia, chalcedony from Asia Minor, sapphires from Colombo.” It -took thirteen years, from 1632 to 1645, to collect these treasures and -construct the mausoleum. The memory of a woman may be buried there, but a -beauty beyond description is preserved. - - -_Over the Chinese Wall_ - -Still farther east, in China, a more restrained and delicate beauty was -developed. Piety and filial devotion taught the Chinese to limit their -display. They cultivated the economy of good taste. The world’s largest -known emerald, found in China, was carved into the figure of Kwan Yin, -goddess of mercy. Jewels were not worn indiscriminately; they served not -only to adorn but to signify station. A mandarin of the first rank wore -ruby or red tourmaline; a mandarin of the second, coral or garnet; of the -third, beryl or lapis lazuli; of the fourth, rock crystal; and of the -fifth, other stones of white. - -Beyond all other stones the Chinese prized “the divine stone,” jade. -While this occurs in various shades, even of blue, of red, of brown, it -was, and still is, especially sought in ivory white and in the shades of -green, from light apple to the dark “imperial jade.” This was, legend -whispered, a crystallization of the spirit of the sea. Its possession -conferred longevity, man’s prolonged moment in the eternity of the gods. - -A perfect piece of jade is left uncarved. As a pendant, brooch, or ring, -it stands alone, in simple beauty. A cultured Chinese was likely to have -one with him unmounted, just the stone, to cherish it and finger it and -feel its silken surface. There were experts who could tell the quality, -the very color, of a piece of jade, without looking at it, just from the -feel. - -Treasured through the centuries in China, jade has come to be prized in -the West as well. The Emperor Kuang-hou sent Queen Victoria, for her -Jubilee, a sceptre of jade. The deep green of the richest jade, the -divine stone, makes it a fit companion for the diamond, the monarch of -gems. - - -_Dark Age of the Diamond_ - -The diamond was not mentioned, in this summary narrative, until the -description of the Taj Mahal. This greatest of precious stones—hardest of -gems, and the only one that consists of a single element—was little known -in the ancient world, and but slowly won appreciation in the West. At the -height of the Renaissance, Cellini in 1568 set down the values of the -precious stones, of flawless stones one carat in weight. A ruby of such -specifications was worth 800 gold crowns; an emerald, 400; a diamond, but -100. (The more common sapphire was a far fourth, at ten gold crowns a -carat.) - -The Dark Ages in southern Europe were not especially bright with gems. -Individual rulers made some display, on crown, on hilt of sword, and -ecclesiastical splendor was slowly gathering, along with decorated frames -and representations of the Virgin Mary. On the other hand, the medieval -Church frowned upon unseemly extravagance of display, and some monarchs, -even Charlemagne when he doffed his rich crown of state, were sober and -plain in their attire. - - -_Tribes to the North_ - -In the more northerly lands, and among the tribes that in the fourth, -fifth, and sixth centuries pressed upon and twice overran Rome, there was -meanwhile more than a crude attempt at jeweled adornment. The Ostrogoths -made some magnificent brooches, mainly with animal designs. The Visigoths -were fond of garnets, often set on a background of cloisonné. Their -crowns and coronets were elaborately wrought; one of these, belonging to -the Spanish-Gothic King Reccesvinthus (649-672) was given as a votive -offering to the church of Santa Maria near Toledo. - -The warlike and otherwise austere Franks took pride in their jeweled -buckles. Their brooches were circular, or formed in the shape of birds. -In Belgium, in the Fifth century, there was considerable carving of -chips, a practice that migrated to Scandinavia. In Sweden there was also -an abundance of circular pendants, beaten of thin gold, and decorated -with animals. - - -_The Celts and the Emerald Isle_ - -Among the Celtic peoples were found armlets and fibulas, the latter not -so short in the arch, nor so exquisite, as the Greek pins, nor yet so -long and heavy as the Roman. The Celts had large, crescent-shaped head -ornaments, attached near the ears and standing straight up on either side -like the horned moon. They made heavy gold torques, necklaces of twisted -metal usually tight as a collar. Some of the torques, especially those -in Ireland, were much longer and hung down in massive twists across the -chest. Ireland is called “the Emerald Isle” not from any pride in its -deep green verdure, but from the ring sent by Pope Adrian to Henry II of -England in 1170, a ring set with an emerald, for the King’s investiture -with the dominion of Ireland. - -The Scotch, because of the way they wore their plaid, grew to have -exceptionally splendid brooches. A fine one of these, preserved in the -British Museum, is known as the Loch Buy brooch; it is of rock crystal -cut in a convex mound, in a circle of ten projecting turrets each topped -with a pearl. A noteworthy brooch design is that of the pin with arms: a -straight bar down the center, enclosed in two arcs of a circle of beaten -gold. - -Although most of their gold designs were hammered down into the metal, -the early Celts also grew expert in répoussé, a process in which, on a -thin sheet of metal, the design is hammered upward from underneath. - - -_The Anglo-Saxons_ - -Among the Anglo-Saxons, especially those that settled in Kent, a greater -variety was manifest. They made beads in many shapes and shades of glass -and amber. They were fond of the amethyst set in pure gold. They adorned -their hair with pins tipped with figures of animals and fantastic birds. -They took great pains with the art of enamel, which they fashioned -cloisonné. - - -_Jewels in English History_ - -The finest known piece of Anglo-Saxon days is the Alfred Jewel, a gold -plaque of cloisonné enamel found in 1693 at Newton Park. It is an oval -two inches long, a little over an inch high, and an inch deep. At the -tip of the oval is a boar’s head. Rock crystal covers the main plaque of -translucent enamel, blue, white, green, and brown, shaped in the head of -a man. Some think this may represent a saint, or the Christ; some say it -is a portrait of Alfred the Great, for along the edge in gold are the -letters: _Aelfred mec heht gewyrcan_, “Alfred had me worked.” - -Among other treasures of early England are examples of filigree, such as -a Kentish brooch set with garnets, of the sixth century, and brooches of -granular gold. - - -_Edward the Confessor’s Jewels_ - -One of the three Royal Crowns of the British monarch is supposedly that -of Edward the Confessor, who was buried in Westminster in 1101, but whose -shrine was opened and the jewels taken forth for future kings. The royal -treasures of the English realm, however, were broken up by the Roundheads -under Cromwell. - -Life at its longest is fleeting, but beauty is an enduring symbol: the -destroyers of the royal treasure are scorned today almost more than the -regicides. The current Crown of Edward the Confessor, therefore, is a -replica, even if the old one was authentic. Less suspect is the great -sapphire, which Edward wore in his coronation ring, and which today is -the central stone in the cross atop the British Imperial Crown of State. - - -_Growth of the Goldsmiths’ Guild_ - -Less than a century after Edward, in the reign of Henry II, the first -Plantagenet ruler of England, the Goldsmiths’ Guild was formed. By 1380, -two hundred years later, it was one of the most powerful guilds in the -country, with rigid rules for admittance and for the quality of materials -and workmanship. Although the artists worked for the king and the nobles, -the bulk of their production was for ecclesiastical and general religious -use. As a result, they developed greater refinements and further -elaborations in this field. We have already noticed the rosary beads that -open, disclosing scenes of the life of Christ or the Virgin Mary. But -a cardinal without succumbing to the sin of pride might wear a jeweled -pendant if the hanging box of gold opened upon a crucifix, or adorn his -robe with a rich chain of gold if its links were medallions designed -with holy scenes. Cardinal Wolsey, whose kitchen boasted twenty-two -specialty chefs, vied with his lusty monarch, Henry VIII, in many ways, -but he could never hope to match the King’s jewels which included almost -250 rings, well over 300 brooches, and one of whose diamonds, an observer -reports, was bigger than “the largest walnut I ever saw.” - - -_The Italians in the Renaissance_ - -The Italian Renaissance started earlier than and outshone the English. -The great jewel collections of ancient times, of the Emperors Julius -Caesar and Hadrian of Maecenas were dwarfed by the collections of the -Medici and the Borgias. The styles favored in those days are still vivid -in the portraits of the period. Many of the painters and sculptors, -indeed—Donatello (1386-1466), Pollaiuolo (1429-1498), Botticelli -(1444-1510), Cellini, to name but four—began their careers as goldsmiths -and jewelers. They fashioned works with painstaking devotion and -venturesome skill for their generous but exacting patrons. - -Lorenzo de Medici collected the antique cameos and intaglios freshly -unearthed in Italian soil; under the spur of his interest, intaglio -jewels achieved a new delicacy. Metal was worked with greater deftness, -flat, chased, or répoussé. Faience, the art of painting and glazing -ceramics, was added to the colorful arts of enameling. - -_Enseignes_ became popular, badges of dignity in the form of a -gold adornment on a man’s hat, with the nobleman’s crest or other -identification caught into the design. All over the continent, and -even among the Italianate Englishmen of Elizabeth’s court and James’, -the enseigne was worn as a clasp to hold the plume, while from one ear -beneath dangled a golden ring or a pear-shaped pearl. - -Rings of all sorts were again in demand, especially signet rings, _fede_ -(clasped hands) friendship rings, gimmals or gemmels (twin rings that -could be separated for two lovers to wear)—and poison rings. - -Particularly popular was the pendant, in many forms and positions. -Pendant earrings again grew, until almost too large to wear. Even larger -pendants, many opening on cameos, dangled upon the breast. Pendants of -all sorts hung from the girdles, utilitarian in the shape of golden keys -or scissors, religious in the shape of a crucifix or the relic of a -saint, along with purely aesthetic medallions of animals or flowers, or -golden spheres—so many as to make a tinkling when one walked. - -A new fashion in the pendant was introduced, a jewel on the forehead, -hung from a hair band or adornment; in India, similar pendants had -for centuries hung from the veil. This new pendant was called the -_ferronière_, from La Ferrionière (“the ironmonger’s wife”) whose -portrait survives, probably painted by Leonardo da Vinci when she was -mistress of Francis I of France. - - -_The Renaissance Across Europe_ - -When Cellini went to France, he gave impetus to the art work there. -In Spain, the goldsmiths fashioned reliquaries; they wrought pendants -on which they hung the emeralds new-garnered from Peru; they favored -bow-shaped brooches of many jewels, the ruby vying with the emerald. The -great international bankers, the Fuggers, dealt also in jewels and gems. -Hans Holbein the painter, while in England, made many designs for jewels. -The painter Albrecht Dürer, son of a goldsmith, fashioned a pendant for -Henry VIII, with the initials E R (Enricus Rex) and three large drops. - -At the same time, the sons of wealthy merchants, the young bloods of -the cities, with spangled chain and jeweled dagger hilt, aped the sons -of nobles. Restrictive regulations did little to curb their display. As -wealth was not yet evenly distributed, not everyone could afford the -genuine precious stones, and the trade in paste flourished. Milan was the -center of this manufacture. In addition to the ordinary glass used for -imitation gems, _strass_ glass was developed. Invented by Josef Strasser, -this mixes lead or flint with the usual vitreous substance and obtains -a greater lustre. Either type of glass often had placed beneath it, -cunningly hidden in the setting, a tiny bit of quicksilver or tinfoil, to -make the glass reflect more light and thus seem to sparkle with its own -fire. - -The Renaissance no more than earlier times had skill to know the genuine -from the imitation. Cellini chuckles over the fact that Henry VIII of -England, bargaining with a shrewd dealer of Milan for a fine set of -jewels, received what he felt was one of his best buys—in paste. - - -_The Reformation_ - -The ease of working in these various modes overreached itself. The -designs again grew more and more elaborate. Enseignes, medallions, love -tokens, memorials of saints, grew heavier than the hats, than the heads, -they were intended to adorn. Rings and bracelets were fashioned to be -worn outside of gloves; gloves were fashioned with slits to display -bracelets and rings within. Extravagance of ornament, though a minor -cause, contributed to the revulsion against the many abuses of the -day that led to the two reformations. The Church itself embarked on a -housecleaning campaign, which included simplicity of dress and paucity of -adornment. - -The seventeenth century in Europe, in the field of jewels, was one of -timid venturing. The Portuguese came to the fore with delicate work, -golden sprays of leaves and flowers with tiny gems, ribbons and knots -of gold. In France the _sévigné_ appeared, a simple golden bow or -rosette worn on the breast, named after the Marquise de Sévigné, a noted -blue-stocking and one of the greatest letter writers of her day. The -sévigné, at first rather plain, was elaborated during the eighteenth -century into a massive brooch, or even a gemmed stomacher. The aigrette -also appeared at this time, in the form of feather-like thin movable -stalks of gold tipped with tiny gems set in enamel; these vibrated as the -wearer moved. - - -_The Eighteenth Century_ - -In the eighteenth century greater attention was again paid to adornment. -The aigrette became more popular, used mainly as an ornament for the -hair. Thin silver stalks like stems of wheat were banded just below the -center, with a slide for fastening; the tips were set with diamonds. -Some pins for the hair and some brooches were fashioned with birds or -butterflies, again on thin stalks so that they flitted as the wearer -walked. This vibration of the aigrette added to the sparkle of the gems. -I have made a variation of this jewel, as a flower, to fit the taste of -the twentieth century. - -A new type of pendant earring was the girandole. This appeared in two -main forms. In one, from a large circular stone at the ear lobe hung -three pear-shaped pendants, sometimes amethysts or other colored stones, -but usually diamonds. In the other type, from the top stone was suspended -an oval hoop of gold, within which a single large diamond hung loose. - -More and more as the nineteenth century came near, the fashion in -precious stones demanded diamonds. If not in the center of a jewel, they -were used to set off the main one. They were worn in the new marquise -ring, the gold of which was fashioned to hold a large oblong stone -surrounded by diamonds. They were an essential element of the parure, the -set of matching jewels, which developed in this century in France. Thus -milady might have, in a parure, a bracelet, necklace, earrings, aigrette, -and sévigné, all ordered together and made of the same metals and -precious stones, patterned for their respective purposes in a concordant, -harmonizing whole. - - -_On the Romantics_ - -For a time, under the influence of the rococo style, and the Gothic -tendency in the other arts, it looked as though jewelry designs, becoming -more and more elaborate and extravagant, might again approach the -eccentric and achieve the inept. In 1755, however, the ruins of Pompeii -were unearthed, with their treasures of antique style, and a classical -simplicity became the order of the day, fostered for a time by the -“return to nature” of the Romantics. It was felt, for instance, that -the diamond, now prized beyond all other precious stones, shone most -effulgent when it stood alone in a simple setting. - -The wars toward the end of the eighteenth century, culminating in the -French Revolution and the campaigns of Napoleon, shifted the ownership -but did not stem the manufacture or the collection of jewels. The -inventory of Mlle. Mars, taken in 1828, listed over sixty items, many of -them treasures in themselves. Notable among these were: a necklace of two -rows of brilliants (diamonds), forty-six in the first row, forty-eight in -the second. Eight bunches of sprigs of wheat tipped with brilliants (that -is, eight aigrettes) totaling about 500 brilliants weighing 57 carats; -a garland of brilliants that could be worn as one bouquet or divided -into three flower brooches, totaling 709 brilliants and 85¾ carats; a -sévigné—mounted in colored gold a central large topaz was surrounded by -brilliants, with three drops of opals also surrounded by brilliants, the -whole set in gold studded with rubies and pearls; a pair of girandole -earrings of brilliants—in each, from the large stud brilliant were -suspended three pear-shaped brilliants, united by four smaller ones; a -pair of earrings—from the large stud brilliant of each hung a cluster -of 14 smaller brilliants, like a bunch of grapes; a parure of opals, -consisting of a necklace, a sévigné, two bracelets, earrings, and a -belt-plate. And Mlle. Mars, though a noted comic actress and a favorite -of Napoleon, was by no means the outstanding society woman of her day. - - -_Into the Nineteenth Century_ - -By 1840 many new designs—frets, crescents, stars—were employed to show -off the popular diamonds. These were still preeminent in the magnificence -of the marriage of Napoleon III in 1853, but his Empress Eugénie revived -the use of strings of pearls for the evening. Diamonds were then worn in -similar strings, called rivières, necklaces of a succession of single -stones, matched or graduated, with a very large stone in the center. A -stone of ten carats was no longer considered large; the diamond must be -at least fifteen carats, and preferably nearer forty. The large solitaire -became popular, not only for engagement rings, but as the clip-stone on a -pin or pendant, from the diamond often hanging a pear-shaped pearl. - -The late nineteenth century developed an electicism, a freedom of choice -among the various modes of the past, that continues into the jewelry -design of our own day. Toward the end of the century, perhaps as a -by-product of the school of _les diaboliques_ in literature and art, -there developed a desire to shock the bourgeoisie, and with it a certain -desire for novelty, manifested in such bizarre items as live beetles -worn as pins, or brooches of a live tortoise with gems set in its shell. - - -_The Twentieth Century_ - -A central ground of common sense and classical design was firmly -maintained by Peter Carl Fabergé and the House of Fabergé, which designed -many of the jewels at the turn of the century and continued popular -among the Edwardians. The great World’s Fair in Paris in 1900 showed a -fresh interest in design, and the use of such materials as translucent -enamel, ivory, and horn. The influence of the Orient showed in these -materials; it was also evident in larger and more colorful earrings and -the multiplicity of bracelets. - -Hair styles played their part in the shaping of jewelry. The pompadour -in front, with chignon, increased the output of tortoise-shell combs, -often studded with diamonds, and of _fourches_, large two-pronged -hairpins similarly adorned. After 1914, the vogue of bobbed hair shifted -production from combs to diamond slides. At the same time, the exposed -ears made ear ornaments de rigueur. As many persons objected to having -their ear lobes pierced for earrings, the earclip became popular; today -it is almost universal in feminine fashion. - -About this time, too, short sleeves led to an increased use of bracelets, -often worn several on one arm. Especially popular has been the bangle -bracelet, a band of gold from which are suspended coins, figures of men -and animals, and other tokens and mementos. Sometimes golden disks are -engraved with sentimental designs or sayings; sometimes the words are -humorous, the figures grotesque. - -Platinum and more recently palladium have been increasingly used as basic -metals for the new jewelry, along with the now less frequent silver and -the constant gold. - -Spurred by René Lalique, the impetus of modern art has been felt in -jewelry design. Cubic, non-representational, and other modes of abstract -form have helped shape the modern bracelet, earclip, watch, and the case -for powder, cigarettes, lighter, or the watch. While some jewels thus -manifest the modern modes, others draw freely on the beauty of the past, -as stimulus to the creation of fresh patterns of beauty for our day. - - - - -CHAPTER 2 - -_What the Stones Are_ - - -_What the Stones Are_ - -On the basis of beauty, stones cannot be divided into precious and -semiprecious for, from stone to stone, there is continuous range of -color and glow. Nor indeed can price be the one criterion, for here many -elements produce variety. Although the term “gem of the first water” -is reserved for the flawless blue-white diamond, as the carats of the -single stone increase the flawless ruby and the emerald become even -more costly; and varieties and special specimens of other stones, such -as the fire opal and imperial jade, move up into comparable range. For -certain individuals, of course, a particular stone will have associations -of sentiment that render it more precious—in the nontechnical -sense—than another stone in the category of “precious.” It is, then, -tradition rather than any inherent value that sets a secondary label, -“semiprecious,” on all but five of the stones used for human adornment. -Let us call these five the gems, to distinguish them from the other -stones. - - -_The Gems_ - -There is no doubt that the five gems—diamond, ruby, emerald, sapphire, -and pearl—have grown more fully than all others into our ways of living. -They have become, as I shall indicate in this chapter, adornments not -only of our persons but of our speech and writing. They are used not only -in figures of jewelry but in figures of speech, to express human beauty, -or eminence, or virtue. The poet and the orator, as well as the monarch -and the lover, have utilized the glamour of the gem. - - -_Diamond_ - -Supreme in human imagination is the diamond, the hardest of all stones. -The word _diamond_ captures this significance, for it is from Greek -_adamas_, meaning unconquerable, the tameless stone. - -The diamond is also the only gem that is entirely composed of a single -element. It is carbon, which also appears in its more common and -less costly forms as soot, jet, and coal. The diamond is pure carbon -crystallized in regular octahedrons, eight-sided figures. - -For a long time, one word was used to mean both the diamond and the -lodestone, the natural magnet. In French today, the gem is _diamant_, and -the magnet is _aimant_—which also means loving. Perhaps the word changed -because the natural magnet, attracting things to it, was thought of as -“the loving stone.” The diamond is the beloved stone. - -Most diamonds at their best are colorless, with perhaps a bluish glow. -They may also be blue, green, violet, less often red—and black. The black -diamond is usually unwanted for jewelry, but is used by lapidaries and -others for cutting, grinding, and polishing hard stones. - -If a jeweler speaks of a Matura diamond or a Ceylon diamond, he is using -an old trade name for a zircon. Similarly, a Welsh, Irish, Cornish, -Quebec, or California diamond is likely to be an attractive piece of rock -crystal. - -True diamonds were known in Asia at least as far back as 900 B.C. India -was the homeland of the gem for many years. The best stones in the -sixteenth century were those cut in Hyderabad, India, in the famed city -of Golconda. Rich findings were made about 1720 in Brazil; in Borneo in -1738; elsewhere, diamonds were discovered in less significant amounts. -But by far the richest hoards were unearthed in 1867 in South Africa, -which is still the world’s greatest source of diamonds. - -Although the lozenge is the characteristic shape of its crystal surface, -the rough diamond stone is found in many shapes and cut into great -variety. Because of the tears that the great tragic actress Sarah -Bernhardt wrung from the audiences at his melodramas, Victor Hugo -presented her with a tear-shaped diamond. - -Among the many literary references to the diamond, the Elizabethan -playwrights were particularly fond of the expression “diamond cut -diamond”, meaning in that aristocratic age, when great man matched with -great. In the more democratic nineteenth century, particularly with -regard to those most democratic of spirits, the pioneers—such as the -Americans opening up the West—it became popular to speak of an uncouth, -unpolished but fundamentally fine fellow as “a diamond in the rough.” - -Lovers at all times have linked this most brilliant of stones with their -fair one’s sparkling eyes. One said that, wherever he went in the world, -he found only his beloved: - - If to far India’s coast we sail, - Thy eyes are seen as diamonds bright, - Thy breath is Amric’s spicy gale, - Thy skin is ivory’s soft white. - -There are several sayings which, though they refer to the diamond, by -indirection speak of mankind. Thus there is a warning to the person who -is heedless of dress or decor, or of the furnishing of office or home, in -the remark: “A fine diamond may be ill set.” There is, on the other hand, -a challenge to pretense, or perhaps a warning to a person about to select -an employee—or a mate—in the Chinese proverb: “A diamond with a flaw is -better than a perfect pebble.” - - -_Ruby_ - -The ruby is a variety of corundum. The Sanskrit word _kuruvinda_ was -limited to the ruby, but we today use the word corundum to mean any form -of aluminum oxide, chemically Al₂O₃. Corundum is next in hardness (though -far inferior) to the diamond, and a hard granular form of it is used in -grinding and polishing. In its pure, transparent form it is, according to -its color, the ruby, the sapphire, the Oriental amethyst, or the Oriental -topaz. - -The Latin word _ruber_ means red, and the crystalline corundum that is a -ruby takes shades from pale rose-pink to a deep crimson that borders on -the purple. The color is determined by the nature of the oxide, and the -gem sometimes has a light silken sheen. A flawless deep red ruby is one -of the rarest and most costly of gems. - -Because of its great value, the ruby has often been used as a term of -comparison for human worth, implying the highest excellence. The Scottish -poet William Dunbar used it in pious thought: “Hail, redolent ruby, rich -and radious! Hail, Mother of God!” - -Among precious rubies, greatly desired is the star ruby, a gem so flawed -that it catches the light as a sun with six out-shooting rays. “The sun -is fair,” said the poet Drummond of Hawthorne on a fine summer’s morning, -“when he with crimson crown and flaming rubies leaves his eastern bed.” -The star ruby, with its three crossbars making six rays of light, has -been thought by these lines of light to signify Faith, Hope, Charity, -Health, Wealth, and Happiness. Thus it is doubly prized, for its good -fortune and for its beauty. - -The deep rubies of “pigeon’s blood” or ox-blood red come from Burma; -those from Siam may be purplish brown; from Ceylon, more probably pink; a -Brazilian ruby, a topaz; a Siberian ruby, a tourmaline; and a Balas ruby, -a spinel. - -Most frequent of all comparisons with gems are references to the “ruby -lips” of beauty. Close after these come allusions to the rich red of -wine, as when Fitzgerald tells us, in his translation of the _Rubaiyat_ -of Omar Khayyam: - - But still a ruby kindles in the vine, - And many a garden by the water blows. - -Robert Herrick, the poet of youth and springtime, who advises us to enjoy -lovely things while they are here—“Gather ye rosebuds while ye may”—in a -note of more solemn warning says to a fair maid: - - That ruby which you wear - Sunk from the tip of your soft ear - Will last to be a precious stone - When all your world of beauty’s gone. - -What the maiden answered is not on record, but it is sadly pleasant to -think, three hundred years later, that somewhere today that ruby is still -beautiful and still enjoyed. - - -_Sapphire_ - -Sapphire is the current form of a Sanskrit word meaning dear to Saturn, -an olden god whose reign was regarded as the golden age. The stone has -been known since earliest times, although what the ancients called -sapphire was probably the lapis lazuli, our sapphire being called by them -the hyacinth. It is hard to tell, however, just what gem is intended when -in the _Song of Songs_ the Queen of Sheba sings of Solomon, her beloved: -“His hands are as gold rings set with beryl; his belly is as bright ivory -overlaid with sapphires.” - -Our sapphire is a bluish transparent variety of native crystalline -aluminum oxide, the same corundum that when it is red we call a ruby. -The sapphire may be sky blue or cornflower blue, and shade through the -lighter hues to an almost colorless stone, called white or water sapphire. - -The sapphire is often used as a figure for the stars or for blue eyes: -“Those eyes, those sparkling sapphires of delight”... “Now glowed the -firmament with living sapphires.” This last line is by Milton, from -_Paradise Lost_, which he dictated to his daughters when he was blind. -The poet Gray pictures Milton as becoming blinded by his great vision: - - He passed the flaming bounds of place and time, - The living throne, the sapphire-blaze, - Where angels tremble while they gaze, - He saw but, blasted with excess of light, - Closed his eyes in endless night. - -While the sapphire at its best still captures the blue of a cloudless -sky, it brings with it today a vision of more serene beauty. - - -_Emerald_ - -The emerald is the most precious of the large beryl group of stones. It -has been deemed precious from ancient times. Cleopatra’s emerald mines -are still being worked. A flawless deep green emerald of good size is -extremely rare. Such a gem, normally, is table cut. The emerald also may -be pierced for use as a bead, or engraved. In Egypt, the usual carving -was a scarab—Cleopatra possessed one; in India, the carving often was a -god. - -The word emerald, before the sixteenth century, was _esmeraldus_ and -_smaragdus_; the Sanskrit word for the gem was _marakta_. As recently -as the last century, Ralph Waldo Emerson summed up the chief sensuous -impressions of the Orient: “Color, taste, and smell: smaragdus, sugar, -and musk.” - -There are few colors at once as striking and as restful as the green -of an emerald. It seems to have the depths of the pure rays in a calm -ocean. Coleridge in _The Ancient Mariner_ used it for another form of the -ever-changing waters: - - And ice, mast-high, came floating by, - As green as emerald. - -Tennyson used it for the widespread carpet of the land. - - A livelier emerald sparkles in the grass. - -In a lighter vein, it has been used to suggest the color of unripe fruit, -as in Eugene Field’s verses on the peach: - - A little peach in an orchard grew, - A little peach of emerald hue; - Warmed by the sun and wet by the dew, - It grew. - -The green of the emerald makes it, in many minds, the most beautiful of -colored gems. - - -_Pearl_ - -The pearl is the only one of the five gems that is the product of life. -It gives body to the eternal paradox that out of evil springs good; out -of deformity, beauty. For these reasons, the pearl is most frequently, of -all gems, woven into symbols of man’s activity. “Honesty dwells like a -miser, sir, in a poor house,” said Shakespeare, “as your pearl in a foul -oyster.” - -A pearl, as the Oxford English Dictionary puts it, is a nacreous -concretion formed within the shell of various bivalve molluscs around -some foreign substance (i.e., a grain of sand), composed of filmy layers -of carbonate of lime interstratified with animal membrane. - -Trying to isolate the intruding irritant, the oyster secretes a sticky -fluid. The fluid hardens, another layer of it is secreted, and the pearl -grows. The genuine pearl oyster is the _meleagrina margaritifera_. -_Margaritifera_ means pearl-bearing from which comes the name Margaret -meaning pearl. Other molluscs may also form pearls, though not usually -the varieties served in the months with an “R”. - -Freshwater pearls come from mussels, of the kind called _unionidae_. -_Unionem_ is the Latin word for pearl—also for onion, which like the -pearl is made up of layer upon layer. Mary Queen of Scots had a necklace -of fifty-two graduated pearls, all of them fetched out of Scottish rivers. - -Pearls are prized because of the beautiful lustre that glows upon them, -pink or even bluish-grey, an iridescence over the basic white. Rarest are -the large black pearls, which make a beautiful center drop on a brooch or -a necklace. The pearl is hard and smooth in texture, beautiful to see and -pleasant to feel. - -The usual shapes in which a pearl grows are round, button, pear, and -baroque (which in this use merely means irregular). The round pearls are -used mainly for necklaces, which must be threaded in silk or plastic -or other such material; any metal may darken and dull the beauty of a -pearl. Button pearls are used in earclips, studs, brooches and rings. -Pear-shaped pearls are attractive as pendants. The use of baroque pearls -depends upon their shape and size. - -Pearls are assorted and matched with great care, according to their size, -shape, and color. The matching of a string of pearls may be a quest of -twenty years. Sometimes a jeweler will hold the pearls until he has a -matched necklace, graduated or of equal size; but it is also a challenge -to a woman who enjoys jewels to buy a few pearls she can wear in various -ways while watching for enough of their peers to form a string. - -The lustrous inside of the oyster shell, formed of the same material -as the gem, is called mother of pearl. A blister pearl is a flattish -excrescence that, instead of being inside the soft oyster, adheres to the -shell; it may be detached and used. Seed pearls are very tiny pearls, -weighing less than a quarter of a grain. - -For ages one of the most highly prized and priced of gems, the pearl -has become less costly not because of changing taste or of successful -simulation, but because man has learned the secret of the stimulation of -the oyster to make it create a pearl. The best natural pearls come from -the Persian gulf and the waters of Australia; but it is the Japanese -who have most fully developed the technique of inserting a foreign body -in the oyster, so that it then carries on, under its own living power, -the process of making a real—but what is called a cultured—pearl. Man -proposes and the oyster disposes. - -From the “gates of pearl” through which Saint Peter allows the elect to -enter Heaven, to the guardians—“of Orient pearl a double row”—of the -smiling mouth, the pearl has been caught into proverb and poem. At the -beginning of this century, the pearl figured in a popular song: - - The hours I’ve spent with you, dear heart, - Are as a string of pearls to me; - I count them over, every one apart, - My rosary. - -For some reason, all of Shakespeare’s references to the pearl are linked -with sadness. The song in _The Tempest_ tells: - - Full fathom five thy father lies, - Of his bones are coral made; - Those are pearls that were his eyes ... - -And it is after Othello has killed his faithful wife Desdemona and has -discovered that his clouding suspicions were untrue, that he calls -himself: - - One whose hand, - Like the base Indian, threw a pearl away - Richer than all his tribe. - -As far back as the Bible a thing of supreme quality was referred to as -a pearl of great price; and the same book (_Matthew_) issues the famous -warning: “Neither cast ye your pearls before swine.” - -In other ways the pearl has been used as a symbol. The poet Swinburne, in -sentimental mood, exclaimed: - - The world has no such flowers in any land, - And no such pearl in any gulf the sea, - As any babe on any mother’s knee. - -The rarity of the stone, and the difficult task of the pearl-diver, are -used symbolically in an epigram by Dryden: - - Errors, like straws, upon the surface flow; - He who would search for pearls must dive below. - -The American poet, William Russell Lowell (father of the Supreme Court -Justice of the same name), wrote in his copy of the _Rubaiyat_ of Omar -Khayyam: - - These pearls of thought in Persian gulfs were bred, - Each softly lucent as a rounded moon; - The diver Omar plucked them from their bed, - Fitzgerald strung them on an English thread. - - -_Other Stones_ - -The other stones, though less esteemed in lore and letters, have many -claims to beauty. One shining specimen may adorn a jewel; or several of -a kind, or combinations of various stones, may create effects that rival -those of the gems. The four native stones among the five gems are usually -translucent, while most of the other stones are opaque. A transparent -or translucent stone, if it is cut as a prism or if its crystalline -structure is right, may break light into rainbow hues, and, catching -these rays, may shoot them around in varying interplays of sparkle and -color. The opaque stones, on the other hand, often smooth of surface, -are colored in ways that seem to snare the light and send it out with -added power and color. Special characteristics add to the beauty of many -of these stones, the main varieties of which we shall now glance at, in -alphabetical order. - - -_Agate_ - -The agate is a variety of chalcedony. It is named from the river Achates, -in Sicily. A hard stone, of striped or cloudy coloring, it is often -yellow or tawny brown. Shakespeare in _Romeo and Juliet_ uses the agate -in a ring to indicate the size of Queen Mab, who—before Freud brought us -other fancies—was the bringer of dreams: - - She is the fairies’ midwife, and she comes - In shape no bigger than an agate-stone - On the forefinger of an alderman ... - -In her coach, Queen Mab gallops by night - - Through lovers’ brains, and then they dream of love; - O’er courtiers’ knees, that dream on curtsies straight; - O’er lawyers’ fingers, who straight dream on fees; - O’er ladies’ lips, who straight on kisses dream. - - -_Alexandrite_ - -The stone alexandrite was given its name from Alexander II (1818-1881), -Czar of all the Russias, in whose realm it was found. It is a variety -of chrysoberyl, containing chromium. It has the interesting quality of -being dark green in daylight, but under artificial illumination glowing -a brilliant red. These were the national colors of Russia, the green -standing for felicity, the red for humanity. - - -_Amethyst_ - -The amethyst is a variety of quartz—often called the queen of -quartz—purple or violet in color. It is one of the earliest stones found -in jewelry and has been used in every period. It is especially attractive -in combination with gold and pearls. - -People as early as the Greeks have used the amethyst as a talisman -against intoxication. In 1502, Camilli Leonardi observed that the -amethyst protected the mild drinker and cautioned its wearer against -excess; but when its warnings were unheeded, the stone grew wan and -died. There is no question, as I can testify from my direct observation, -that continuing drunkenness of its wearer will cause an amethyst (like a -person) to grow dull. - -A motion picture star, well known all over the world—her life recorded -in a major film—some time ago was in quest of an unusual necklace. At -the time, I was in Hollywood as jewelry consultant to a motion picture -company. As I happened to be staying at the same hotel as this actress, -we often went to the studio together, and we became rather friendly. -When she mentioned to me that she had been looking for a necklace that -was distinctive and personalized, I told her that her complexion and -hair coloring made it desirable—in my mind, almost mandatory—for her -to have the jewel made of deep purple Uruguayan amethysts combined with -diamonds. That night I made a sketch of such a jewel, and sent it to her -the next morning. She was enchanted. So was the Hollywood jeweler who was -entrusted with the making of the necklace from my design, for it was a -great success, the talk of the season in the movie colony. - -What the jeweler did not tell me—what perhaps he did not know, as neither -did I—was that this glamorous star, with an angelic face and a skin the -poet Byron might despair of describing, used to hide away once a month -or more and drink herself into complete intoxication. We did not know, -but the amethysts did. Within a year the deep velvety purple had faded; -the stones were pale, and they had lost their lustre. The warning of the -amethysts had gone unheeded. - - -_Aquamarine_ - -The aquamarine is a pale, transparent, bluish-green variety of beryl. -Being of much the same chemical composition as the emerald, it is -sometimes called blue emerald. Although it is not a rare stone, when step -cut the aquamarine has a pleasant glow, and may be combined with diamonds -to make a distinctive jewel. - - -_Beryl_ - -Beryl is, chemically, a silicate of aluminum and glucinum, Be₃Al₂(SiO₃)₆. -It usually forms in hexagonal crystals. When there is also in the stone -some oxide of chromium, it becomes a bright or a deep green: this is the -emerald. - -The word beryl covers a large number of hard and lustrous stones. At -first it was applied to clear crystals; thus in the fifteenth century we -find references to “water clear as beryl.” A pale bluish-green variety of -beryl is the aquamarine. A yellow variety is the chrysoberyl (_chrysos_ -is the Greek word for gold). - - -_Carnelian_ - -The carnelian was originally the cornelian. Because of its flesh color, -the name was changed under the influence of the Latin word for flesh, -_carnem_. Carnelian is a red variety of chalcedony. - - -_Cat’s-eye_ - -There are two varieties of the cat’s-eye, equally effective against evil -spirits. The stone may be either olive green, or reddish brown. The most -attractive shades are bamboo and moss green. The distinguishing feature -of the stone is that it seems to have a horizontal slit that sends back -a white band of light, moving with the stone, and resembling the gleam -in the baleful eye of a cat. Other appropriately sinister colorings are -sometimes called tiger’s-eye and hawk’s-eye. The Oriental cat’s-eye is a -mineral of the chrysoberyl group; the Occidental, somewhat less glinting, -is a variety of quartz. - -The cat’s-eye, of course, is in wide repute for the power it confers of -seeing in the dark. Thus it is an excellent stone for hunters. But it -proves similarly effective in mental darkness, providing the power for -seeing through the schemes of connivers. Wearing a cat’s-eye may thus -save one from becoming a cat’s-paw. I met a detective recently who was -wearing a superb hawk’s-eye ring; he told me he had just received notice -of his promotion, “with distinction,” to the rank of captain. - - -_Chalcedony_ - -Chalcedony is the name of a large group of stones, variously colored, -consisting mainly of non-crystal quartz. It has the lustre of wax. -Chalcedony has been known from early times and is mentioned in the -Bible. Among the stones belonging to this group are agate, carnelian, -chrysoprase, jasper, onyx, and sard. - - -_Chrysoberyl_ - -The various stones beginning with _chrys_ (Greek for gold) should in the -main be yellow. Chrysoberyl is a yellowish, sometimes slightly greenish, -mineral, beryllium aluminate, chemically Be Al₂O₄. It has been used for -adornment since ancient times. - - -_Chrysolite_ - -This is a rather common yellow silicate of magnesium and iron, of -granular structure. When, as sometimes occurs, it is greenish in tint, it -is called olivine by mineralogists, but when used for adornment jewelers -call it peridot. - -Chrysolite is mentioned as one of the foundation stones of the New -Jerusalem prophesied in _Revelations_. Shakespeare has Othello, wrought -with agony over his beloved Desdemona whom he believes unfaithful, -exclaim: - - Nay, had she been true, - If heaven would make me such another world - Of one entire and perfect chrysolite - I’d not have sold her for it. - -There is indeed beauty in an entire and perfect chrysolite. - - -_Chrysoprase_ - -Gold touched with leek (_prason_ is the Greek word for leek) marks the -color of the chrysoprase. It is a light green quartz, a variety of -chalcedony. As chrysoprasus, it is listed in the King James Bible as the -tenth foundation stone of the New Jerusalem. - - -_Citrine_ - -Named from the citrus family, citrine is a lemon-yellow variety of -quartz. When clear, it may be used as becomingly as topaz. - - -_Coral_ - -Coral is a fairly hard substance, mainly calcium carbonate, made up -of the skeletons of myriads of marine animals called polyps. These -skeletons, attached to one another, through the centuries have formed -shelves in the ocean, or shaped themselves as atolls and far-extending -reefs. Coral may be in many colors, white, black, yellow, blue, and—most -popular in jewelry—shades of pink and red. The reddish shades, the Greeks -inform us, are dyed by the blood of the Gorgon Medusa, whose snake-haired -head, lopped off by Perseus, dripped its gore into the sea as he laid it -by to wash his hands. Scientists inform us the red is produced by the -presence of iron oxide. - -The ancient Romans placed coral on cradles, to protect the babe against -the ills of infancy, especially teething. Even today, Italian peasants -use it as a charm against sterility, or in the form of a little bell the -wind might make tinkle to drive off evil spirits. If one has ever knocked -wood, one might place on the babe a ring or a trinket of coral. - -References to the beloved one’s coral lips were so frequent in -Renaissance poetry that Shakespeare in revulsion wrote his Sonnet 130: - - My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun, - Coral is far more red than her lips’ red ... - —And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare - As any she belied with false compare. - -A century later another playwright, William Congreve, also used the image -in a passage of scorn, after describing the physical allure of a great -beauty: - - But soon as e’er the beauteous idiot spoke, - Forth from her coral lips such folly broke - Like balm the trickling nonsense healed my wound, - And what her eyes enthralled, her tongue unbound. - -How true love grows through a lifetime by tiny, unnoticed moments is -beautifully pictured—to give an instance of a happier use of a coral -image—by the nineteenth-century poet Coventry Patmore: - - ... Fondness for her underwent - An unregarded increment - Like that which lifts, through centuries, - The coral reef within the seas. - - -_Garnet_ - -The garnet is a hard glass-like silicate mineral. It is found in many -colors: green, yellow, orange, pink and black. When it is a deep, -translucent red, it can be used to form a beautiful jewel. Its name -is a corruption of _granate_, seeded, as also in the pomegranate, the -seed-apple. - -The garnet is sometimes cut faceted. The deep red, cabochon cut is -sometimes called a carbuncle, which means glowing coal. In trade terms, -the pyrope garnet is a deep blood red; the almandine garnet a violet -red. The Adelaide, Cape and Colorado “rubies” all are garnets. - - -_Hyacinth_ - -The color of the flower and the stone have given note to the name -hyacinth. In ancient times, the word was probably used to designate -what we call the sapphire. Today it is applied to any of the reddish or -purplish varieties of the garnet, topaz, or zircon. - - -_Jacinth_ - -_Jacinth_ is really another form of the word _hyacinth_. It is used, now, -especially to denote a reddish orange variety of zircon. The jacinth was -a favorite jewel of ancient times, its mention ranging from the Bible to -the _Thousand and One Nights_. - - -_Jade_ - -Two silicates of lime and magnesium are called jade. One, the true jade, -is a complex silicate also called jadeite. It is a tough substance, -usually green or white, and somewhat translucent. The other, less -valuable form, called nephrite, occurs in other colors. - -Found in Burma and India, also in Mexico and Central America, jade did -not enter early into western literature; English mentions of jade usually -refer to the horse. - -The word jade is from the Spanish _piedra de yjada_, stone of the side. -It is named from the belief that the stone counteracted pains in the -sides and kidneys. And the word nephrite is from Greek _nephros_, kidney. -Chinese women, indeed, clutched a piece of jade tightly in their hands -during childbirth. They had a double purpose in this: the stone, being -an effective charm, lessened their labor pains; and, being a symbol -of aristocracy, it ensured the male infant high rank and the female -a successful marriage. Mandarins, though not for the same reasons, -sometimes “spiked” their rice wine with powdered jade. - -A piece of the deep green stone called imperial jade is one of the most -beautiful stones to look upon, and one of the most pleasant to touch. It -combines superbly with diamonds to create handsome jewels. - - -_Jasper_ - -Jasper was a stone treasured in antiquity. Although Biblical references -indicate a greenish stone, the jasper we know today is usually reddish, -yellow, or brown, in mottled colors. It is an opaque variety of quartz. - -The jasper was sometimes used as a symbol of perfection. Thus the Scot -poet William Dunbar, about 1525, hailed the growing capital of England: - - London, thou art the flower of cities all! - Gem of all joy, jasper of jocundity! - -One might suspect Dunbar of bringing in the jasper to chime with the -jocundity, were it not more likely that he brought in the jocundity to -chime with the jasper! - - -_Jet_ - -This stone, which gives its name to its color, a shiny dark black, might -be called kissing kin to the diamond. It is a kind of lignite, one of -the forms of pure carbon, differing from coal and diamond only in the -arrangement of the molecules. It is an intense black in color but very -soft. - -The name jet is from the Greek _gagates_, which indicates that it comes -from Gagas, a town and a river of Lycia in Asia Minor. Jet, however, was -known also to the ancient Celts, who carved it. - -Although its color has made it popular mainly for religious and -especially (in the western world) for mourning motifs, jet has a bright -glow upon its black that can be effective in earclips and other jewel -forms. - - -_Kunzite_ - -Named for the American gem expert George F. Kunz (1856—1932), kunzite -is a stone of attractive lilac crystals. It is a transparent variety of -spodumene which is a crystalline mineral, lithium aluminum silicate, -chemically Li Al (Si O₃)₂. Spodumene is usually yellow or light green; in -its more delicate shadings, used for ornament, it is now called kunzite. - - -_Lapis Lazuli_ - -Known from earliest times, and in high repute as an ornamental stone, -lapis lazuli is a mixture of various minerals. It is azure blue and -opaque, usually with tiny golden flecks. The name means the azure stone. - -Some old-time customs and cures, persisting in spite of superior smiles -and “scientific” derision, have been found to incorporate materials which -modern medicine has in its time welcomed into the pharmacopoeia, the -checkbook of current remedies. In ancient times, lapis lazuli was used -as a “charm” against bleeding of the nose, against inflammation of the -eyes, against any kind of hemorrhage. The Egyptians prescribed lapis -lazuli 4,000 years before chemists noted the astringent qualities of -copper oxide—which is what gives the golden flecks to lapis lazuli. - - -_Malachite_ - -Malachite is a basic copper carbonate, chemically CuCO₃Cu(OH)₂. It can be -highly polished and takes its name from the green color of the leaves of -the mallow plant, the marsh variety of which gives its name to a popular -candy. The stone is used for small boxes and other decorative pieces; -well polished, it makes an attractive ring. - - -_Moonstone_ - -Moonstone is a milky-white translucent variety of feldspar, with a pearly -lustre. - -Feldspar (also felspar, meaning spar of the field) is any of a group of -crystalline minerals, made up mainly of aluminum silicates. They are -glassy and moderately hard, and are found among igneous rocks. Spar is -the name of various shiny materials that break off easily, in chips -or flakes. Few of these varieties are used in ornaments, but the even -milk-white tone of a good moonstone makes it effective in jewels. - - -_Onyx_ - -Named, because of its pale color, from the Greek word for nail, onyx is a -variety of agate. It consists of alternate layers of different colored -stone, as can be seen around the edge; this makes it prized for carving, -especially in cameos. - - -_Opal_ - -The opal was represented in such variety in early times that the word -_upala_ was the general Sanskrit term for a precious stone. The opal -comprises a large group of vitreous, translucent silicas, possessing the -property of refracting light and then reflecting it in a play of colors. -Silica is a dioxide of silicon, chemically Si O₂, a hard glassy mineral -that includes quartz and sand as well as opal. According as the compound -includes iron, magnesium or other elements, the color of the stone varies. - -The best opals are the result of a flaw in their formation. Being -hydrated silicas, they were at first a sort of semi-liquid, jellified -substance; as this hardened, cracks and fissures were created by -unevenness in the material and in the speed of the hardening. These -tiny spaces trapped air or moisture, and it is this that produces the -phenomenon of refraction and reflection of light and gives the colorings -and variations known as opalescence. The play of light is at its best -when the stone is cut cabochon, except for the fire opal, which is -faceted. - -There are three chief varieties of opal. The common or white opal has -a cloudy-white background, with pastel patches that often give it a -veritable sunrise glow. The black opal has actually a very dark green -background, in which there are deep pools of blue and green with patches -of flame. Rare, and most magnificent, is the fire opal, which seems -almost transparent, its body of smooth reddish orange shooting forth into -flame. - -The opal is a delicate stone. It may be damaged by heat. It absorbs -grease, and may thus become dull. The outstanding and valued feature of -the stone is its opalescence. This creates a constantly changing, almost -kaleidoscopic play of lights. It is this variability that gives point to -the reference in Shakespeare’s _Twelfth Night_: “Now the melancholy god -protect thee, and the tailor make thy garment of changeable taffeta, for -thy mind is a very opal.” - - -_Peridot_ - -The peridot, a yellowish-green variety of chrysolite, was popular in -early England. It fell from favor but was reintroduced from France in -the seventeenth century. It is a beautiful stone, often as large as 30 -carats, and again growing in favor. - - -_Quartz_ - -Quartz is one of the silicas, chemically Si O₂, as is the opal. It is -abundant as a colorless, transparent substance; it also appears as a -brilliant crystal. The name quartz is from the German _zwerg_, meaning -dwarf. Similarly cobalt and nickel are from German words for sprites, the -gnomes being little creatures that work the mine of the gods. - -In its crystalline form quartz includes amethyst, cairngorm, citrine, -quartz cat’s-eye, rock crystal, and rose quartz. Another main group -in the quartz family is chalcedony, which includes agate, bloodstone, -carnelian, jasper, moss agate, onyx, sard, and sardonyx. These stones are -used for beads for carving cameos and intaglios. - - -_Sard_ - -Sard is a very hard, deep orange-red variety of chalcedony. Its name -rises from the fact that it originally came from Sardis in Asia Minor. - - -_Sardonyx_ - -Sardonyx is a variety of onyx in which the alternating layers are of -white chalcedony and sard. It can be cut into beautiful cameos. - -The sardonyx is not to be confused with the sardonics, known for their -scornful smile. The latter have no connection with the powers of the -stone; they derive their name from the plant of Sardinia, the island -off Italy. The plant, we are told, was poisonous, and made its victims -sneer while dying. More scientific botanical tales aver that the plant -was bitter, so that its taste at once produced contortions of the mouth. -In either event, the bitter, superior smile of the sardonic comes from -another part of the world than the peaceful sardonyx stone of Sardis, -Asia Minor. - - -_Spinel_ - -Spinel is so called, little spine, from the shape of its crystals. It -is a hard mineral, composed mainly of oxide of aluminum, with iron or -magnesium. The proportions of the metals determine the color, which -ranges from rose pink through green, blue, and purple, to black. The red -variety, rare and costly, is sometimes called a spinel ruby. It is also -known as a balas ruby, from Arabian _balakhsh_, from the Persian province -of Balakhshan, where spinels from pink to orange have long been found. - - -_Topaz_ - -The topaz ranges widely in color, according as other substances are -present in the complex aluminum silicate that is its basis, chemically -Al₂Si O₄F₂. It is transparent, crystalline, and may be white, pale -blue, or pale green; but the yellow shade (produced by the presence of -fluorine) is preferred for use in a jewel. It often develops its crystals -in large clusters; the National Museum in Washington has one weighing 153 -pounds. - -Brazilian topaz is genuine topaz. Oriental topaz, however, is a yellowish -crystalline corundum; Occidental topaz, a yellow quartz, citrine. -Topazolite is a yellow variety of garnet. - -The topaz is mentioned in the Bible as the ninth foundation stone of -the New Jerusalem. It has not entered greatly into literature, being -an undramatic stone, and is not usually at its best when combined with -others; but it can be so fashioned as to display a serene and quiet -beauty. - - -_Tourmaline_ - -The tourmaline is any of a variety of complex silicoborates, formed into -a brittle mineral, crystalline stone. It was originally found in Ceylon, -first being brought to the West in the eighteenth century. The surface -of the stone has a vitreous lustre. A black, opaque variety is called -schorl; a blue variety, indicolite; a red, rubellite. The tourmaline is -most attractive, and most frequently chosen for jewels, in a colorless -transparent or translucent variety, and in deep green. - - -_Turquoise_ - -The turquoise was originally found in Persia, where it is still a -favorite and lucky stone. It was also found along the Sinai Peninsula; -but it was transported to the West by way of Turkey, whence its name, the -Turkish stone. It is also found in the western United States and, in its -rare crystalline form, in Virginia. - -The turquoise is a hydrous phosphate of aluminum, with a little copper -or iron determining its color, from sky blue to greenish grey. It -is best when a rich green-blue. The stone is rather soft and is cut -cabochon. Like the opal, it absorbs grease and dirt and may grow dull. -Over-exposure to strong light will cause it to fade. - -There may often be several hues in the one turquoise; it is another stone -that can be wrought into parures of quiet beauty. - - -_Zircon_ - -Zircon is really a silicate of zirconium, an element discovered by -Martin Klaproth. Zircon is chemically Zr Si O₄, a mineral occurring in -tetragonal crystals. Though it is found in many colors—yellow, brown, -red, pastels of green and blue—the colorless and transparent varieties -are in demand for jewels. The brown zircon, heated, turns first blue, -then colorless. Without the diamond hardness and full sparkle, the -colorless zircon more nearly approaches the radiance of the diamond than -any other stone. - -The word zircon is from the Arabic _zarqun_, meaning cinnabar, from -Persian _zar_, meaning gold, and this indicates the ancients’ favorite -colors of the stone. It is also called the jargon or jargoon. A red -zircon is also known as a hyacinth. - - - - -CHAPTER 3 - -_Birthstones and the Magic of Gems_ - - -_The Seasons_ - -Precious stones have from earliest times been associated with special -powers. Not only were they guardians against demons, but each by its -particular virtue warded off certain diseases or other misfortunes. In -their astrological aspects, they could help to arrange, if not wholly to -secure, a happy future. From this connection with things to come, the -gems came to be linked with various times: each season, each month, even -each day of the week, had its special stone. - -The season of spring, with the first flowering of the reborn year, is -considered especially appropriate for the amethyst, the green diamond, -the chrysoberyl, the spinel, the pink topaz, the olivine, and the -emerald. The bright sun of summer, that bells the fruit and spreads -the foliage, is best for zircon, garnet, ruby, and fire opal. Spinel, -chrysoberyl, and pink topaz still hold their charm. As the languors of -summer tang toward the crispness of autumn, it grows time for sapphire, -hyacinth, oriental chrysolite, tourmaline, jacinth, and topaz. Then -with the challenge of winter come turquoise, white sapphire, rock -crystal, quartz, moonstone, pearl, and the gleaming diamond. Of course, -the brilliant solitaire, the diamond of the engagement ring, is an -appropriate stone in any season. - - -_The Days of the Week_ - -The days of the week are more intricately bound in gemmed symbol. If you -know the day on which you were born, you can garner all the good fortune -that comes with the proper stone. Each day of the week, along with the -stone, bears other significances and powers. - - -_Sunday_ - -The golden-yellow day of King Sol, the sun, is marked with the yellow -jacinth. If one wears this, we are told, one has the power of a lion on -that day—especially when Leo, the lion in the heavens, takes the summer -season with the sun. - -But also this is a token of secrecy in the man—it ensures discretion, -always advisable, often essential, in a lover—while in the woman it -betokens generosity, always desired but not always appreciated by a lover. - - -_Monday_ - -The serene day of the moon is the day for pearls. Pearls should be -bestowed on a Monday. The color white is bound with them and with the -day, for the snow-white blanket of peacefulness. A man might wear a -pearl in a tie clasp, bar, or in a tie pin, which is coming back into -favor. The pearl is a token, in a man, of friendship, of integrity, of a -religious feeling; and in a woman of contemplation, purity, affability. - - -_Tuesday_ - -Tuesday is a more active day. Tiw is the Nordic god of war, and his name -is used to translate the Latin for Mars’ day. Hence its stone is the -blood-red ruby. This is a fitting day to hold in memory those who have -died valiantly in battle. But it is likewise a day to be on one’s guard, -for while the star ruby marks nobility and power of command in the man, -it may also spill over in excess to bloody vengeance. And in the woman, -while the ruby of this day adorns a proper pride, it may descend to a -pettier obstinacy. At its best, the ruby is resplendent on a Tuesday. - - -_Wednesday_ - -Although Woden was king of the Nordic gods, his name is used to translate -the Latin for the day of the fickle and thievish Mercury, who was -placated on this day. The emerald is its precious stone. The color green -may mark jealousy when it flickers in a woman’s eyes, but in a gem it is -a token of change. In a man it betokens joyousness, quick-soaring but -transitory. In the woman, with the Wednesday emerald comes a spontaneous, -childlike delight in passing things, a love of variety. This is a good -day to hold in memory those who have died in the flower of youth. - - -_Thursday_ - -Thor’s day, said the Anglo-Saxons. Again they transmuted the powers, for -Thor is the god of war, while to the Romans this is the day of Jupiter, -king of the gods. It is a violet day, the day of the violet sapphire. -This is a precious stone indeed, and a potent day. In the man it marks -sober judgment, gravity, industry. In the woman the Thursday sapphire -denotes high thoughts, and a love that lifts beyond the body with the -spirit. Fortunate are they between whom a violet sapphire passes on a -Thursday. - - -_Friday_ - -Here the Anglo-Saxons made no mistake, for Friya is their god of love, -and Friday is Venus’ day. Friday still feels the force of the sapphire, -but the sapphire must be blue. In the man, the blue sapphire marks -magnanimous thoughts and wisdom. - -In the woman, the blue sapphire of Friday, especially the star sapphire, -marks courtesy and keen powers of observation. The girl Friday sees -more than she tells. But there is need for caution; without the stone, -these feminine powers may shift to a colder watchfulness, accompanied by -jealousy and suspicion. Beware a flaw in the precious stone, the precious -one. Friday is an auspicious day for love, if love is bedecked with a -blue sapphire. - - -_Saturday_ - -Saturday is the seventh day, the day of rest. Thus the Anglo-Saxons did -not labor to translate it from the Latin; it is the day of Saturn, the -Roman god of time and growth. Saturn was the father and first king of -the gods; his stone is the king of gems, the diamond. Saturday crowns -the days of the week, as the diamond crowns the family of the gems. In -a man the diamond marks gravity, fortitude, constancy. In a maiden, it -may betoken a certain giddiness, a flighty fancy that has not yet found -its destination; but in a woman it marks perseverance and constancy. The -woman of the Saturday diamond knows what she wants, and works unfaltering -to attain it. - - -_The Months_ - -Thus, from the jacinth and the pearl to the sapphire and the diamond, -runs the gemmed story of the days. More fixed in popular imagination are -the special stones of the months, for these have become the birthstones -that mark the natal days. In early times there was considerable variety; -today there is general agreement as to these stones. They may have come, -as many believe, from the twelve stones in the breastplate of the Jewish -high priest. Or they may be transferred from the twelve foundation stones -proclaimed in _Revelations_ for the New Jerusalem. The ages have fixed -them as memorials of birth, and one should have at least one lucky jewel -adorned with one’s birthstone. - - -TABLE OF BIRTHSTONES - - _Month_ _Birthstone_ - - January Garnet - February Amethyst - March Aquamarine - April Diamond - May Emerald - June Pearl - July Ruby - August Sardonyx or Peridot - September Sapphire - October Opal - November Topaz - December Turquoise - -Each of the birthstones is caught into more than one jingle. Its powers -have been trusted so long that folklore has wrapped them in song, and -truth hangs upon them like the beard of a patriarch. And the stones -themselves endow the wearer with the special grace of the natal day. - - -_January: Garnet_ - - By her who in this month is born - Gaily the garnet should be worn; - ’Twill guarantee love’s constancy - And warm her in felicity. - -The January stone, at its best, is a deep red, or a red shading to -violet. With its burgundy sparkle, it has a dark brilliance found in no -other gem. - -The color of the garnet drew it naturally to association with blood. It -has been considered a sovereign remedy against all kinds of inflammation -and bleeding and disorders of the blood. Since the face flushes with -anger, the garnet was held as a charm against anger; it was felt to -have a calming influence and to be potent against mental disorders. -Psychoanalysts take long years to accomplish what one may gain just by -the wearing of a garnet. - - Pile on the coal. - And if there’s a hole - In underclothes, go darn it. - This is the time - For winter’s rime, - And for the ruddy garnet. - - -_February: Amethyst_ - - The February born will find - Sincerity and peace of mind, - Freedom from passion or from care, - If they the amethyst will wear. - -The February stone has a wider range of color, and may be chosen in any -shade from light lilac to a deep royal purple. It is a symbol of beauty -and of power. It has been traditionally associated with the Princes of -the Church, and down the ages has been the chosen royal gem. - -Out of the ancient Hebrew comes the thought that the amethyst has the -power to prevent nightmares and unpleasant dreams. - -With its buried meanings of beauty and power, of power-claiming beauty, -the amethyst was one of the earliest stones to be cut in the shape of a -heart. - -Here is a story of the best known and most heralded of the powers of the -amethyst, its potency as a guard against intoxication, against the evil -effects of overindulgence. - -The god of revelry and wine, Bacchus, we are told, fell in love with -a nymph, who sought to avoid his tipsy embrace. (One needs not the -gods to picture such a pickle!) This nymph, however, prayed to Diana, -goddess vowed to chastity. Diana changed her to an amethyst, with power -to withstand the effects of drink. The frustrated Bacchus gave the -stone the color of wine. Hence the amethyst was known to the Greeks as -“the sobering gem.” It should surely be the token stone of Alcoholics -Anonymous, for its very name, _a-methyst_, comes from the Greek, meaning -“against strong drink.” - -February, we are told, is the cruellest month; its chill seems to call -for the warm coursing of an invigorating drink. It is most fortunate that -the stone for this month of biting cold is the amethyst. - - Red the cheek glows, - Still redder the nose; - Jack Frost the lips has kissed. - Spice the hot drink; - Let glasses clink— - And wear the amethyst! - - -_March: Aquamarine_ - - Who in this world of ours their eyes - In March first open, shall be wise, - In days of peril firm and bold, - If they an aquamarine will hold. - -March is the month when spring rains begin. It is also the month when -of old, after the winter’s frost, men ventured forth again. In the -Mediterranean to the south, and from the fjords and headlands of the -north, our ancestors pushed their boats out from the shore, in quest of -food and far adventure. Thus the gem of March is the aquamarine, whose -name means “water of the sea.” And the stone is truly cousin to the -waters. At its best it is clear as mid-ocean, and of a brilliant greenish -blue. It has been said that whoever wears an aquamarine can do no dirty -deed, will all his life be clean of body and spirit. For this reason, the -aquamarine is a favorite gift to a newborn baby. - -Sea voyagers today, as the Vikings long ago, for protection from the -dangers of the deep may wear an aquamarine. - - Hark how the rain - Beats on the pane! - It flushes the world with green. - Brooks are all high, - Roads never dry— - Everything’s aquamarine! - - -_April: Diamond_ - - She who from April dates her years - Diamonds should wear, lest bitter tears - In vain repentance flow; this stone - Emblem of innocence is known. - -With the magic of spring, in myriad raindrops lit by the sudden sun, in -the glint of young leaves and the brightness of early flowers, April -shares the sparkle of the diamond. For springtime and for its precious -stone, superlatives are the order of the season. The diamond has the -greatest brilliance and most power of reflection of all gems. Its -clearness and its cleanness are unsurpassed. It is colorless, yet it can -show the entire spectrum of colors. - -The god of mines, we are told, created the diamond by pulverizing -all other precious stones—ruby, sapphire, emerald, and the gathered -host—blending and pressing them into one supreme stone, a crystal that, -itself without color, imprisons and releases all the fused colors in its -core. - -More sentimentally, legend records that in one of his unguarded tender -moments, Jupiter, king of the gods, asked the young man who had rocked -him in his cradle to name his own reward. The young man asked that he -might endure unchanged forever. Jupiter turned him into a diamond. - -Increasingly through the centuries has the diamond been valued. Popes -have proclaimed its virtues. Musical comedies have sung its praises. Only -the flawless diamond, the Hindus pointed out, has the power to heal. -Pope Clement VII stated that the greatest curative potency dwelt in the -powdered diamond. In the eighteenth century, the French maintained—to -the smiling acquiescence of the feminine kind—that the diamond possesses -talismanic virtue only when given as a gift; a purchased diamond held no -luck for the purchaser. - -This symbolism blent with the meaning of the ring to make the diamond -the first formal gift to the loved woman upon betrothal. As the seal -of an engagement, a solitaire is more effective than the old “writ” or -quill-penned bond; it symbolizes at once a bond and an indestructible -union of power and beauty. - -There is in this gem, though it is not always the most costly of precious -stones, the strongest appeal to a woman, and she is fortunate indeed -whose claim to the diamond is a birthright. - -A diamond in a jewel adorning another beauty sets unrest in a woman’s -heart, until she too is asparkle. The diamond is a sign of love; it -confers loveliness, or at least it imposes pride. It is the ambition of -every woman—and it should be the fortune of everyone Aprilborn—to possess -a flawless diamond. - - After the shower - Brightens the hour, - Flowers lift on the stem. - Raindrop sparkles - Till evening darkles: - Diamond is the gem. - - -_May: Emerald_ - - Who first beholds the light of day - In Spring’s sweet flowery month of May - And wears an emerald all her life, - Will be a loved and happy wife. - -May is the month when meadows and woods put on their richest garb of -green. May is the month of the emerald. The ancients said that the gem -was the captured glow of the firefly. - -Deep green and translucent, this stone at its best is very rare. It was -prized before and beyond all other stones and, for large flawless gems, -outvies the diamond. Among church stones it ranks very high; Andreas, -Bishop of Caesarea, wrote of the emerald: “Its transparency and beauty -may not change; we conceive the stone to signify John the Evangel.” - -The potency of the emerald has been extolled in various fields. It was -especially prized as a panacea for poisons. In this field, it was an -admirable alexipharmic; it protected against poison from fangèd bite, -and from the gangrene of wounds. It warded off the dangers of poison -artfully secreted in food; also, of poison from eating the wrong food, -as toadstools for mushrooms, spoiled food, or just too much food. And it -preserved one from that most pestilent of all poisons, the poisoning of -the mind. - -Still more widespread was the use of the emerald as a talisman and a -cure-all for the eye. The calming influence of its dark green hue has -been recognized from early times to the modern eye shade. The Roman -Emperor Nero, who suffered from an eye ailment, used to hold a specially -ground emerald before his eye to relieve the strain, and to enjoy the -relaxation that came with its gentle soothing. In the early Renaissance -the watchmakers and the goldsmiths, their eyes bleary from long strain -at their fine operations, would pause in their work and gaze upon an -emerald. The emerald is the only stone that delights the eye without ever -bringing fatigue. - -Less worthy use was made of the emerald by those ambitious in love. In -the Orient, the emerald was the token of love and was often used to -adorn the statues of the god or the goddess of love. But later it became -associated (as were the gods themselves) with the more passionate aspects -of love. Then the emerald was employed—often, of course, as a bribe to -the pandar or a gift to the girl, but also as a talisman—by those who -sought success in their amours. - -It is in its more peaceful aspects, of the green and eye-enchanting -colors of May, that one cherishes the emerald. - - Spring in its glory - Tells the bright story - Of the young year at play. - It tries on the sheen - Of gold and of green: - Emerald’s the precious for May. - - -_June: Pearl_ - - Who comes with summer to this earth - And owes to June her day of birth, - With ring of pearl upon her hand - Can health, wealth, happiness command. - - And what is so rare as a day in June? - Then, if ever, come perfect days, - Then heaven tries earth, if it be in tune, - And over it softly her warm ear lays. - Whether we look, or whether we listen, - We hear life murmur, and see it glisten. - -What symbol of glistening life could be more significant than the -lustrous pearl? It is one of the gems that delights in more than the -beholding, for the feel of the soft fine smoothness of the gem is like -the petal of a pansy. - -While the pearl does not have the brilliance and fire of a well-cut -precious stone, it has a soft glow unique among gems, and an amazing -variety of glints and shadings around its basic hue, from the purest -white to the darkest black. Most desired of its dark shades is the -“mordoré,” a greenish coppery iridescence over black. This, however, is -so rare that not more than four necklaces of such pearls are known. More -frequent among the valued shades are the cream and the light pink pearl. - -A pearl is in its very being a symbol, the triumphant growth of beauty -from disease. It marks the victory over drawbacks and handicaps, the -building of one’s treasure out of one’s disadvantages. - -From its gentle color and its smooth shape, the pearl came to be the -symbol of modesty and purity. It was endowed with many powers. It brought -succor in times of distress. It cemented friendships, out of first -likings fashioning firm ties. It strengthened a weak heart and a weak -memory. It gave maids courage to resist, and men stoutheartedness to -overcome, evil. - -Especially in the Orient, where it was first widely known, there have -been many uses of the pearl. It was combined in jewels, used alone -in many-stranded chains, woven into garments, woven in or hung upon -tapestries that decked the walls of palaces. It was embroidered not only -on women’s garments, but on priestly and ceremonial robes. There can -hardly be a treasure in which the precious stones are not accompanied by -pearls. - -The soft lustre of the pearl, and its natural shape, inevitably linked -it with the teardrop. Indeed, what are pearls but the crystalline tears -of the angels, weeping over man’s indiscretions? The Romantics suggested -that the pearl may sometimes bring tears. The materialists retorted that -the tears were of vexation, shed by those that could not afford the -pearls. But every morning of a clear June day, the teardrops are on every -blade of grass, the glistening dew that is the brief land-pearl. - - Hand in hand - All over the land - Lover leads his girl; - Merrily wedded, - Cosily bedded: - June’s for the shimmering pearl. - - -_July: Ruby_ - - The glowing ruby should adorn - Those who in warm July are born; - Then they will be exempt and free - From love’s doubt and anxiety. - -With July, the heat of the sun begins to burn into bright flame the -colors of approaching autumn. The range of red is in the ruby, from pale -pink to that deep shade known as pigeon-blood. Rarest of all stones, -the flawless ruby was endowed with the mightiest powers. The ancients, -feeling its hidden forces, called it “the stone of life.” - -The wearer of the ruby had naught but courage in his heart; he knew -no fear. Well might this be, for in his mind the ruby rendered him -invincible. The Russian Czar, Peter the Great, who scorned jewelry, -always carried loose rubies in his pocket; he held one clenched in his -fist when he gave orders for the exploits that justify his name. - -Among the healing virtues ascribed to the ruby is power over ailments of -the skin. Held between the palms of the hands, it is supposed to put an -instant stop to internal hemorrhage. Worn against the skin a necklace of -rubies, strung on silk, similarly made the skin impenetrable to sharpest -blade or deadliest venom. In these days of the venomous pen and the -deadly fall-out, it is interesting to note that the ruby necklace has -again become popular. - -To dream of rubies, one may read in the Arabic dream-books (which have -many more years of authority than Freud), is to be destined to great -felicity. Good news, good fortune, good health, all lie ahead. - -Of those who possess a fine ruby, Sir John Mandeville says: “The -fortunate owner of a brilliant ruby will live in peace and concord with -all men; neither his land nor his rank can be taken from him.” - -One cloud only darkens the ruby’s glow. The ruby itself at times is said -to cloud; and when the gem grows dull, misfortune is on the wing. The -early gemologist, Wolfgang Gabelchower, a seventeenth-century German, -compiled a list of misfortunes that befell individuals after their rubies -had developed a cloud. He capped his tales with the confirmation of his -own sadness: he noticed that his ruby ring was clouded; the next day, of -a sudden, his wife died. - -Against this evidence I can only set my own observation and experience, -and the traditions of a family for four generations involved in the -creation of jewels: I know of no instance in which the possession of a -ruby was the cause of a misfortune. Quite the contrary: a fine star ruby -is a fortune in itself. And fortunate is she who knows the natal glow of -a ruby. - - Honest is as honest does. - All the country’s in a buzz - From squire down to booby. - Apples ripening on the farm, - Fairies keep us from all harm - Binding us with ruby. - - -_August: Sardonyx or Peridot_ - - Wear sardonyx, or for thee - No conjugal felicity. - The August-born, without this stone, - Must live unlovèd and alone. - -The reddish brown of the August stone accords with the drying earth, and -the leaves that herald the approaching turn of autumn. The sardonyx was -the fifth stone in the breastplate of the High Priest of the Hebrews; -among Catholics it is given honor as the stone of Saint James. - -Physically, the sardonyx was used as a charm against warts, boils, and -cramps. Spiritually, it was worn to turn away the evil eye and to prevent -the transfer to the wearer of wicked impulses and thoughts. No witch -could insinuate evil fancies into the mind guarded by this stone. And the -most sardonic remark passed harmlessly by one who wore the sardonyx. On -the contrary, wearing the stone made one witty, popular, and happy. - -August more generously than the other months permits an alternate -birthstone. This is the peridot, an olive green stone so radiant that -it sends back flashes even in very dim light. It has therefore been -linked with the sun, whose bright rays it ensnares to hold against future -darkness. - -The peridot was a frequent stone in Egyptian jewels. From that time, -it has been used to protect the wearer from the dangers that lurk in -darkness, though in the fifteenth century it was maintained that the -peridot was effective only if set in purest gold; this combination made -it a perfect night talisman. - -The stone was a favorite for earrings, as its power over light was -transferred to sound, to make even the lightest sound quite audible. It -also helped lighten the burden of neuralgic pains. - -For warding off evil spirits, however, it was worn only beaded and strung. - -Worn by a man, the peridot ensured his generosity, according to countless -wives who have bestowed peridot rings upon their husbands. - -One of the most beautiful of all peridots is high-set in the Cathedral of -Cologne. Mysteriously it shines forth in the darkness of the dome, giving -a lasting memory and quiet reflections to all who have seen it. - -Those born in August may be happy with sardonyx or peridot. - - Long the rows of ripened grain - Along the dusty winding lane; - Do not walk alone. - Take the moonlit lovers’ path - Hand in hand; to turn Lob’s wrath - Sardonyx is the stone. - - -_September: Sapphire_ - - A maiden born when autumn leaves - Are rustling in September’s breeze - A sapphire on her brow should bind - To keep her keen and quick of mind. - -In autumn the eyes turn upward from the bounteous earth, past the reds -and yellows and browns of the restless foliage, to the endless dome -of the skies. September is the month of the sapphire, which, like the -heavens, ranges from a light celestial blue to the deepest velvet-like -dark of indigo. It may have the lucid blue and cool brilliance of a -mountain lake. Its color seems to well from endless depths, with a rich -luminescence. - -One of the rarest gems, the fine star sapphire, was held in repute among -Egyptian astrologers, who called it the stone of the stars. Wearing -a sapphire spun the stars into a favorable conjunction. In more than -one section of the world of glamour today, movie “stars” carry on this -tradition; sapphire jewelry, especially with a star sapphire, is their -most potent talisman. In “the profession” a sapphire is an antidote for -stage-fright. It builds confidence, brings success, and at the same time -deflects the shafts of envy. - -The sapphire has also held place in religious functioning. The Bishop of -Rennes, in the twelfth century, hailed this stone as the most appropriate -for ecclesiastical use: “The sapphire is like the pure sky, and mighty -nature has endowed it with so great a power that it might be called the -gem of gems.” - -Physically, the sapphire was thought to effect various cures. The -scientist von Helmhont praised its power for patients afflicted with -boils. Some thought the sapphire, for ills of the eye, even better than -the emerald. Thus Charles V of France had a sapphire set in gold, to -which he had a handle attached, like a lorgnette, to hold to his inflamed -and painful eyes. Queen Elizabeth I of England attributed more general -magical powers to a sapphire that she wore and with which she never -parted until her death. With it, she foiled countless plots against her -life and in England’s most turbulent times lived out her full allotment -of three score years and ten. - -For the September-born, there is the exultation of the rustle of fall and -the sweep of white clouds across a sapphire heaven. - - Harvest moon beyond the hill. - Harvest happiness, and still - Watch the hearth’s soft-dying ember. - Deep the night with many stars, - Love’s the locksmith breaks all bars. - Sapphire’s for September. - - -_October: Opal_ - - Fresh October brings the pheasant; - Then to gather nuts is pleasant. - But this month’s babe is born for woe - And life’s vicissitudes will know - Unless an opal on her breast - Drives off these woes and keeps her blessed. - -October, with its sharp contrasts, is the month of the opal. This gem may -be white, or black, or of that rare and precious kind, the fire opal. In -its dark greyish background are imbedded the most luminous colors of red, -yellow, green, blue, and purple, that seem to shoot forth rays. The opal -does not refract light, being an opaque stone; but its own colors make -fine interplay with light. - -The Roman historian Pliny called the opal “the captive rainbow.” The -wearer of the stone, the same authority assures us, not only will be -urbane and courteous but will be free from the spleen of those around. An -opal, like a soft answer, turneth away wrath. - -For a while, especially in the early nineteenth century, the opal was -considered a stone of bad luck; it fell from favor like one dismissed by -royalty. Two stories, one from life and one in legend, helped produce -this aberration; human credulity completed the work. - -The true-life story is that of Alphonso XII of Spain. He gave a ring, -bearing a magnificent opal, to his bride. Shortly after, she succumbed to -a mysterious malady. His sister, who next wore the ring, died a few days -later. His sister-in-law next put the precious opal on her finger; within -the month she died. Hoping to end the series of sudden deaths, Alphonso -took back the ring and gave it to no one. Alphonso died. The chain was -broken when his heirs placed the ring upon a statue of the Virgin. - -The legend is a gruesome one recited by Sir Walter Scott in his poem -_Anne of Geierstein_. With mystic shadowings and eerie intimations, it -unfolds the story of the wearer of an opal, who shuns pious references -and avoids all contact with holy water. One night a watchful person -delivers an aspersion of the holy water, and the next day, where the -opal-wearer had slept, there rested only a pile of ashes. - -Only the unthinking, however, and the wood-knockers shrink from the -beautiful opal because of such old wives’ tales. The stouthearted Empress -Victoria of England, for example, was extremely fond of opals, and -bestowed upon many of her friends jewels in which opals were set. There -are no records of sudden deaths at her court. In 1925, at the British -Empire Exhibition at Wembley, Queen Mary, passing a booth tended by a -miner’s wife, bought a black opal. It is a stone worthy of queenly favor. - -Far from being a sinister omen, the opal is a stone of good fortune. It -is especially sought, indeed, by fortunetellers. Some of them gaze upon -it to induce that trance-like state in which the future spreads before -one like a great mirage; better than a crystal ball are the incessant -interplay of colors and the endless iridescence of the stone. An opal on -a ring increasingly gives the wearer a view of the future. Unlike the man -who considered augurs boring, I confess to a keen interest in what makes -them tick, or click. Usually their powers are linked to a special stone, -which, like as not, is an opal. The famous European telepath, Eric Jan -Hanussen, for example, believed implicitly in the prognostic power of the -stone. “Anyone could do what I do,” he once said to me, “if he had my -opal.” - -Certainly the opal is auspicious for the October-born. - - Light the fire; roast the crab. - Though she dodge the while you grab, - Kiss the maid still sober. - Hard the day’s work you have done, - Who would grudge an evening’s fun?— - Opal in October. - - -_November: Topaz_ - - Who first comes to this world below - With drear November’s fog and snow, - Should prize the topaz’ amber hue, - Emblem of friends and lovers true. - -When nights are growing long and tempers short, when one seeks the -consolations of philosophy (or memories of Florida) to store against the -cold, November is the month of the topaz. This beautiful stone is at its -best when honey-blond. - -The topaz was a holy stone, signifying Saint Matthew. Two of the popes, -Clement VI and Gregory II, possessed a topaz of great beauty, to which -were attributed great healing powers. This stone gave the faithful a -further impetus to make the pilgrimage to Rome from the far corners of -the world so that their health might return to them with the blessing and -the touch of this hallowed stone. - -Even on less sacrosanct hands, the topaz was esteemed for its many -therapeutic virtues. From earliest times, in accordance with the -principles of sympathetic magic, the yellow color of the stone made it -ideal for the cure of those afflicted with jaundice and other ailments -of the liver. As the November stone, it was used in the Middle Ages to -cure the contagions that begin to spread with the onset of cold weather. -Its soothing color added it to the stones that were esteemed good for the -eyes; the topaz was moistened with wine and laid upon aching eyelids. It -also, many felt, cured diseases of the mind and helped the distraught to -regain their mental balance. - -The birthday wearer of the topaz is likely to be an upright soul, with -good judgment fortified by wisdom. Faith and a deep spirit of charity are -within its bestowal, gifts important in November’s shortening days and -chilly blasts. It is clear that one of the most gracious of all stones is -the topaz. - - The nights are growing dark and long, - Bitter is the wind and strong, - With a wailful moan. - Let your mirth the time beguile, - Meet life with a cheery smile - And a topaz stone. - - -_December: Turquoise_ - - If cold December gave you birth, - The month of snow and ice and mirth, - Place on your hand a turquoise blue, - Success will bless whate’er you do. - -December, the last month of the dying year, chill with the shivering -threat of its dying, needs a great virtue to preserve it till it is -overtaken by the touch of January and the promise of the new year. This -great virtue the ancients found in the turquoise. - -Among the ancient peoples of many lands, it was the common practice to -bury turquoises with the bodies of their monarchs and their chiefs, to -tide them over the pitchy paths of transfer and bear them safely to the -new world and the new life beyond the tomb. In the pyramids of Egypt, in -the Aztec tombs, in the mounds of Mexico, jewels and beads of turquoise -abound. - -At the beginning of life in this world, too, the turquoise is welcomed; -there is still no better good-luck gift to a newborn child than a -necklace of turquoise beads. It is significant that December is the birth -month of the Holy Child, for whose nativity the gifts no doubt included -turquoise. - -Since the turquoise is comparatively soft among stones, it can be readily -engraved; magic inscriptions, charms, and prayers have been cut upon -it, to add their power to its auspicious glow. The turquoise is thus -a protective stone. December being a precipitous month, when snow and -ice are prelude to a fall, with hillsides hazardous and even a level -walk a place where one is prone to slip, the turquoise is an excellent -talisman against falling. In fact, the saddles of horses have been set -with turquoise, to keep the steed surefooted on journey or in battle. St. -George was secure against a fall in his battle with the dragon; paintings -and tapestries of the valiant saint show a turquoise in the hilt of his -great sword. - -Opaque though it is, the turquoise, because of its bright coloring, -outshines most other stones. Its protective value may extend even to -material things. It was the Hindu Tagore who arose from his pondering -of less mundane concerns to report that, to ensure enormous wealth, one -should look long at the new moon, then instantly fix one’s eyes on a -turquoise. - -[Illustration: 15. QUEEN ELIZABETH II. _Her Majesty is wearing the sash -and star of the Order of the Garter, a necklace given to her by the -Nizam of Hyderabad and a diamond bracelet which was a gift from the Duke -of Edinburgh. Her tiara of diamonds and pearls has been worn by queens -of England since Queen Victoria. (Command portrait by Dorothy Wilding, -courtesy of the British Information Services)_] - -[Illustration: 16. PEARL AND BAGUETTE DIAMOND EARCLIPS. _Designed to -minimize large ears. The subdued sparkle of the baguette diamonds makes -them suitable for both daytime and evening. This jewel was honored with -the Diamond U.S.A. Award._] - -[Illustration: 17. DEEP SEA ALGAE. _The earclips (only one is shown at -the left) and pin (shown here ⅞ of actual size) of chased 18 karat gold -with ornaments of large diamonds were inspired by deep-sea plants. Their -distinctive character is heightened when seen against a solid color._] - -[Illustration: 18, 18A. DOUBLE ROSE CLIP. _Two wild roses with their -foliage form a brilliant corsage of diamonds and platinum. The two -flowers are different in size and detail of design. The pin can be -separated into two individual clips, providing a variety of possibilities -for enhancing adornment. At the left, the smaller of the blossoms—the -flower not yet fully opened, the leaves still curled in—is worn on a -necklace of round and baguette diamonds._] - -[Illustration: 19. DIAMOND AND PEARL LEAVES. _A set of brooch and -earclips suitable for almost all occasions. The delicate, pierced design, -signifying the veins of a leaf, has both airiness and depth. When the -earclips, similar in shape to the pin, are worn close to the cheek, the -pearls add lustre to the skin._] - -[Illustration: 20. PEARL AND DIAMOND NECKLACE. _Wild roses of diamonds -divide the three strands of pearls in front from the two strands in back. -The clasp is hidden in one of the roses. From the collection of Mrs. -Cummins Catherwood._] - -[Illustration: 21. PEARL RING. _The delicate lustre of a pearl is -highlighted by six marquise diamonds._] - -[Illustration: 22. QUEEN GERALDINE OF ALBANIA. _The Queen’s coronation -tiara, made of diamonds and platinum, shows the royal crest of the “Ram -of Skanderbeg” held by a bandeau of Albanian wildflowers. Her diamond and -ruby pendant earclips accentuate her violet-blue eyes; her Rivière is of -alternating round and baguette diamonds._] - -[Illustration: 23. DIAMOND NECKLACE. _A diamond and platinum necklace in -a youthful, flower design. The center motif is formed by an emerald-cut -diamond. This necklace can, with the aid of a simple device, be worn as a -tiara. From the collection of Mrs. Theodore Newhouse._] - -[Illustration: 24. DIAMONDS CAUGHT IN A NET. _This earclip and clip -ensemble in platinum and diamonds received the Diamond U.S.A. Award._] - -[Illustration: 25. NECKLACE FOR A BRIDE. _Motifs of marquise, baguette -and round diamonds form a delicate pattern of orange blossoms for this -completely flexible necklace. Recipient of the Diamond U.S.A. Award, the -original of this design is in the collection of Mme. A. Jaglom._] - -[Illustration: 26, 27. DIAMOND PINCUSHION ORNAMENT. _A versatile clip, -it is seen at the left gathering a scarf about the hair. It is designed -particularly for evening wear. The same clip, right, is worn on a neck -chain._] - -[Illustration: 28. MARIANNE OSTIER. _To compliment her red hair and fair -complexion, the author is wearing a necklace of three strands of emerald -beads with two diamond and platinum motifs; matching diamond and emerald -earclips; and a diamond and emerald dome-shaped ring._] - -For less extravagant desires, the gem will exercise its most beneficent -influence if worn upon the index or the little finger. The December-born -may find a new birth of good fortune with the turquoise. - - Short the days, the cold spreads wide; - Be there merry Christmastide! - Blessed things remember. - Old year dying, - New hopes flying: - Turquoise for December. - - -_Signs of the Stars_ - -There are some who regard the month of their birth with less concern than -the star, the constellation, under which they were born. They look into -the heavens for the beasts that prowl the sky in the outspread forms of -the stars. The ancients, and all astrologers since, have discerned a -close connection between us in this world and the “animals” in the sky. -For, though a few other forms have slipped in, the circle of stars that -mark the year is called the zodiac, from Greek _zodion_, which means -little animal, from _zoon_, animal. The zodiac is the zoo of the sky, -whose beasts “beset us round.” - - -_The Zodiac_ - -The round of the year begins with the springtime. Our starting the -calendar with January is a new-fangled notion, as can still be seen -in the names of the last three months. The names October, November and -December mean, respectively, the eighth, the ninth, and the tenth month. -The year used to begin with March, the opening of spring. - -Jewels and talismans have long been wrought with the signs of the zodiac. -It is better, of course, to wear a ring with only the particular sign -under which you were born. But the signs have been divided into cycles, -and for each of the three cycles within a sign there is a special stone. -Wearing this stone, especially with the sign carved upon it, increases -the charm tenfold. In this fashion the special powers of the animal that -rules the period, instead of opposing, will enter into and re-enforce -the virtues of the wearer. Unfortunately, different astrologers have -suggested different stones; but one who has never failed me believes in -the list that I present, for its own values, each under its cycle and -sign. - - -_Aries, the Ram_ - -The signs of the year begin with the ruttish male of springtime, the -season of fertility. - - March 22 through March 30. Bloodstone. - March 31 through April 9. Amethyst. - April 10 through April 20. Green jasper. - - -_Taurus, the Bull_ - -More deliberately, but with tremendous power, the year surges on. - - April 21 through April 30. Lapis lazuli. - May 1 through May 9. Moonstone. - May 10 through May 21. Carnelian. - - -_Gemini, the Twins_ - -Castor and Pollux take the sky, twin sons of Leda and Jupiter as the swan. - - May 22 through May 31. Topaz. - June 1 through June 9. Emerald. - June 10 through June 21. Beryl. - - -_Cancer, the Crab_ - -And now the year moves backward toward the dark. - - June 22 through July 1. Opal. - July 2 through July 11. Agate. - July 12 through July 23. Crystal. - - -_Leo, the Lion_ - -Patience lashes its tail before the harvest. - - July 24 through August 2. Ruby. - August 3 through August 13. Sapphire. - August 14 through August 23. Diamond. - - -_Virgo, the Virgin_ - -As this sign approaches, poets gather their powers. Shakespeare and his -rollicking fellows sat in the Mermaid Tavern, - - Pledging with content smack - The Mermaid in the Zodiac. - -The slow ripening draws toward the ever wondrous birth. - - August 24 through September 2. Chrysolite. - September 3 through September 12. Beryl. - September 13 through September 23. Marcasite. - - -_Libra, the Scales_ - -Balance the harvest of the moving year. - - September 24 through October 3. Coral. - October 4 through October 13. Opal. - October 14 through October 23. Pearl. - - -_Scorpio, the Scorpion_ - -Armor of the spirit blunts the sting in the tail of the season. - - October 24 through November 2. Topaz. - November 3 through November 13. Moonstone. - November 14 through November 22. Lapis lazuli. - - -_Sagittarius, the Archer_ - -Aim well through the dark night, for the dawn shall turn. - - November 23 through December 2. Turquoise. - December 3 through December 12. Amethyst. - December 13 through December 22. Diamond. - - -_Capricorn, the Goat_ - -Leap up, heart, with glad resounding as light is born anew! - - December 23 through January 1. Onyx. - January 2 through January 11. Garnet. - January 12 through January 20. Chrysolite. - - -_Aquarius, the Water Carrier_ - -Out of me come all things that live beneath the rainbow. - - January 21 through January 30. Green jasper. - January 31 through February 9. Emerald. - February 10 through February 19. Crystal. - - -_Pisces, the Fishes_ - -Abundance of untold treasure glints from the depths of the seven seas. - - February 20 through February 28-29. Pearl. - March 1 through March 9. Pearl. - March 10 through March 21. Pearl. - -As the zodiac sets a ring around the heavens, so the zodiacal ring around -one’s finger sets the sign of heaven in one’s fate. If one does not have -a special jewel wrought with one’s astrological sign, it may find fit -place as a charm on a bangle bracelet. - -Cassius, in Shakespeare’s _Julius Caesar_, may exclaim: - - The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, - But in ourselves, that we are underlings— - -but every man is born under a lucky star, and borne along with the -virtues of the stars’ configurations, if only he can make it shine upon -his fortune. It should be remembered (as Milton records in _Paradise -Lost_) that God smiled upon the angels when they came to calculate the -stars. If the astrologer has cast one’s nativity, one then may have it -fashioned in a jewel. - - - - -PART TWO - -_The Art of Feminine Adornment_ - - - - -CHAPTER 4 - -_The Art of Feminine Adornment_ - - -From head to foot milady is concerned with jewels. Her crowning glory, -her hair, is today, however, left largely to display its own lustrous -beauty in coiffures carefully designed for the individual taste and -figure. Hat ornaments of elaborate jewels have long ceased to be popular. -By the beginning of this century even the essential hatpin had been -reduced to utilitarian simplicity, a round piece of jet or colored stone -atop a long rod of steel which, with its sharp point, not only held the -hat in place but made a handy weapon of defense. - -How much can be worn in the hair depends upon its styling. The chignon, -or other knot behind, permits the use of comb or ornamental pin. The most -elaborate of the combs, looking best on a tall woman with dark hair, is -the Spanish comb, consisting of a few teeth below a large crest of shell -often encrusted with stones. Less favored, but attractive with more -exotic types, is the Japanese pin, a long rod of carved ivory or of black -lacquered wood decorated in colors and usually worn in a pair. - -Few women, outside of the nobility on state occasions, wear the metal -bands set or peaked with gems, called indiscriminately diadems or tiaras. -Such a band of precious metals and stones, worn by a prince or noble -of high rank, is the coronet. The monarch himself, as an emblem of -sovereignty, wears a more elaborate circlet or head covering, the royal -crown. - - -_Royal Crowns of Britain_ - -Most famous of the royal crowns are those of the British Empire, three -for the monarch, two for his queen. First of the three is the reputed -crown of Edward the Confessor, which was destroyed by the Commonwealth. -It was reproduced by Charles II and, with its inner Cap of Maintenance, -has been worn at all the English Coronations since 1661. It is of “massie -golde” and weighs four pounds. Since neither this, nor the Imperial Crown -of State, may leave the British Isles, a special Imperial Crown of India, -the third royal crown, was made for the investiture of George V at Delhi -in 1911. - -By far the most magnificent of the three royal crowns is the Imperial -Crown of State. This may officially be made anew for each new monarch, -but the crown that showed the glory of Queen Victoria in 1839 has with -few modifications been used by all her successors. This great crown -is adorned with historic treasures of the centuries. The great pearl -earrings of Elizabeth I are nested here; the sapphire from Edward the -Confessor’s Coronation Ring; the Stuart Sapphire, an oval an inch and a -half by an inch; the Black Prince’s ruby, large as a hen’s egg. Although -the Star of Africa, the world’s largest cut diamond, a pear-shaped -brilliant of about 530 carats, crowns the head of the royal sceptre, -two other brilliants cut from the same rough diamond adorn the Imperial -Crown. One, the cushion-shaped diamond in the band, below the Black -Prince’s ruby, weighs 309³⁄₁₆ carats; the other, of 96 carats, is to the -side of the band. Literally thousands of other precious stones, including -smaller diamonds of various cuts and sizes, make the British Imperial -Crown of State, at one time signifying dominion over the most widespread -of all empires, the most imposing of all crowns. - - -_Everywoman’s Queen_ - -Far from the Imperial Crowns though she may be, every woman is the -monarch of her own beauty. When she sits before a mirror, a woman sees -both the material of beauty and the artist who must work with that -material. And the first thing an artist must learn is the potentialities -of the material. - -An honest appraisal of what looks forth from the glass is the beginning -of its improvement. Nature has given few women features without flaw; -and there is little of personal charm in the prize “perfection” of -professional beauty in the face of the beauty-contest “queen.” Even the -most beautiful of women can have that beauty enhanced. Cosmetics are no -more than a base upon which jewelry spreads its charm. Jewels are the -oldest and most proven help to beauty. - -And the most lasting. The precious stones that Cleopatra wore for the -admiration of three monarchs still hold their pristine fire, and no doubt -sparkle on the throat and hand of some fair lady of today. If the cost -of a jewel is measured against the duration of its usefulness—even apart -from its beauty, its small bulk, and its ready possibility of resale—it -is clear that there is no better investment. Nor is there any monotony in -a precious stone. It takes new glow in various lights. A little ingenuity -will suggest variations in its use. And as fashions change, the permanent -values in the stone itself can be displayed in new settings. - - -_A Stone’s Best Setting_ - -The most permanent aspect of the setting of a precious stone is, of -course, the wearer herself. When asked for his wisest counsel, the old -sage replied: Know thyself. As a later poet put it, “The proper study of -mankind is man.” This also holds for woman. A full and frank estimate of -the physical features must precede any proper attempt to adorn them. - -Consider, for instance, the bone structure. Heavy bones are usually -associated with wide shoulders, square cheek bones and strong, pronounced -wrists, whereas small bones usually mark a slight build, with slender -fingers and small wrists. A woman with wide cheek bones should naturally -wear earclips and necklaces that look heavier, to balance her appearance. -This proportion should be observed throughout her jewelry wardrobe, with -heavier and higher-built rings, bulkier bracelets, larger brooches and -clips. - -A woman of heavier build emphasizes this fact when she wears a tiny ring -and a clip that looks lost on her bosom. On the other hand, a petite -person may easily seem overpowered, even dwarfed, by a massive set of -jewelry. She will be fittingly adorned with light and airy pieces, with -the stones set individually in a dainty style. - - -_Types of Women_ - -The basic choice, then, depends first upon the woman’s own -characteristics. Can she call herself the “tailored type”, or “petite”, -or “sophisticated”? Within each of these general groupings the next -consideration is the contour of the face. This may be round or oval. -Yet there are, of course, countless variations within and between these -types, and each woman should remember that her characteristics build up -into a distinct and unique personality. It is that unique and precious -whole which is herself that each woman should explore, so as to know her -potentialities and her needs. - - -_The Major Metals_ - -Before settling down to consider details of individual jewels, there are -two more general aspects of jewelry that may be pondered: the metal and -the design. Gold, especially of eighteen karat, has come back into favor. -It is extremely becoming to many complexions for wear during the day and, -provided that it is set with at least a few diamonds, it is appropriate -as well for the more formal jewels of the evening. The whiteness of -platinum, however, has made it a more favored setting for diamonds. In -this connection the new metal palladium must not be overlooked; its -shimmery satin finish makes a superb background for precious stones. It -is lighter than platinum. - - -_The Basic Designs_ - -The most general division of designs distinguishes the ornamental -or abstract, and the floral. A tailored type will be drawn to and -embellished by the ornamental design. The petite person will find that a -flower motif enhances her essential femininity. The sophisticated person -may well employ a combination of the ornamental and the floral, seeking -style from the ornament, softness and depth from the flower motif. She -can venture further, too, toward extremes of style and color. - -Every piece of jewelry should of course be tried on before it is -selected. However well it looks in its individual box, in the arranged -setting of the jeweler’s window, or on the velvet cushion in the store, -the important question is how it looks upon the one who wears it. It -should be tested against the background of a dark dress, in the direct -rays of daylight and in the soft artificial light under which it will -usually be worn. - - - - -CHAPTER 5 - -_The Earclip_ - - -_The Supreme Importance of the Earclip_ - -Among the various articles of adornment that a woman can acquire, the -one that can make the most startling changes in her appearance is the -earclip. Properly chosen, earclips can do more to bring out a woman’s -best features than any other jewel, and one can play more tricks with a -pair of earclips than with one’s make-up. - -A few generations back, the ears were beneath consideration; that is, -they were beneath the hairdo. Daguerreotypes of our grandmothers show -coiffures that completely cover the ears. The “problem of the ear lobe,” -that least attractive feature of the face, did not arise. But when the -horse-and-buggy days were succeeded by our time of streamlined cars and -jet planes, hair styles were also streamlined. The contour of the face is -thus more fully revealed, and the function of the earclip is to give that -contour distinction and style. - - -_Earrings Through the Ages_ - -In earlier periods when the hair was piled high on the head, or left -to flow behind, the earring was also prominent. Indeed, the history -of adornment might be summed up in the story of the jeweled appendages -attached to the ear. - -Men were adorned, in earlier days, fully as much as women. They wore not -only finger rings but earrings. At one of the oldest known cities, Ur -of the Chaldees, a gold earring has been unearthed from the sarcophagus -of a monarch who ruled 4,700 years ago. The burial place of the Pharaoh -Tutankhamen, dug up in 1922, contained amber earrings. Ancient Assyrian -kings, with their hierarchy of priests and their cohorts of soldiers, -are shown on ancient carvings—all with adornments for the ears. When -Moses was up in the clouds on Mount Sinai receiving the Ten Commandments -on tables of stone, Aaron in the valley, preparing to make gods for the -people, said unto them: “Break off the golden earrings, which are in the -ears of your wives, of your sons....” - -As the Roman Republic grew effeminate with wealth and luxury, earrings -were more popular among men than women; no less a “he-man” than Julius -Caesar himself brought back to repute and fashion the use of rings in -the ears of men. In Persia of the thirteenth century, the vogue was so -popular that the Sassanian kings had engravings of themselves, wearing -their earrings, set as signet stones upon their fingers. - -Elizabethan England found earrings tossed with the heads of Italianate -dandiprats. Shakespeare’s Othello wore them, and to our own day the stage -Moor (as well as the cinema pirate) wears a gold loop in at least one -ear. But through the next century the English macaronis (fops who are -mocked in our “Yankee Doodle” song) continued to flaunt earrings upon -the Puritan public. Charles I of England went to his execution in 1649 -disdainfully dressed in all his finery, including a ring in his right -ear. Perhaps it was the lopping of that royal head that helped to end the -fashion for men. - -Women, however, have continued to wear earrings to enhance their beauty. -At times, when other jewels were growing oversized, the earrings also -grew enormous. In Sumer, over four thousand years ago, Queen Shubad -wore great golden half-moons. Women in ancient Phoenicia vied with one -another in the size of their earrings. Old Etruscan ear ornaments bore -little boxes for perfume or for charms. In the fourth century B.C. the -Greek hetaerae wore cupids on their ears. Queen Victoria, twenty-three -centuries later, saw the vogue of gold-rimmed cameos close against the -ears, from which hung larger cameos. But whether it be the stalwart -Bahri matron in Central Africa who slips through her ear lobe half a -hundred separate loops of elephant hair, or the proud Zulu maiden who -has stretched her lobes until an ivory tube half an inch in diameter is -pushed through, or the dainty city lass with a pearl clipped close upon -each ear—the earring is an almost universal jewel, worn as an adjunct to -human beauty. - - -_The Significance of the Ears_ - -Perhaps the prevalence of the earrings indicates that something is wrong -with the ear. It is an essential organ, well placed and well shaped for -its function, but aesthetically a bit obtrusive. For note that the ears, -while they frame the face, are amenable to none of the usual resources of -cosmetics. The hair, in addition to being neatly styled, can be variously -tinted. Proper application of powder and color can seem to alter the -shape or the length of the nose. The cheeks can not only be colored but -by deft use of powder and rouge can be given a different outline. The -eyes can be accented with color; they can be made more naive or more -beguiling. The lips can be made to seem smaller, more sweetly innocent, -more bold. But when all the make-up skills have been applied, the ears -remain unaltered. - -And yet the look of the ears may make or mar the whole appearance. -The choice of earclips, it should be clear, must depend not upon the -attractiveness of the jewel but upon the effect it has in ameliorating -the facial features. Earclips can play up a small, dainty nose, or -minimize a large one. Earclips can, according as she chooses them, make a -woman look younger or older, smarter, more sophisticated, or more simple -and sweet—and always prettier. - - -_The Earclip and the Facial Contour_ - -Other jewels may with some degree of safety be purchased from the box. -A ring, even a brooch, will not alter much from the way it looks on the -velvet of a counter or the satin of a case. But an earclip becomes part -of the contour of a face. It must be seen, as others will see it, from -various angles, profile and full face. Since no two ears, no two sides -of the same face, are exactly alike, both clips should be tried on, and -their effect carefully examined. They should be looked at without a hat, -so that the whole sweep of the head may be considered. Conversely, when -hats are being tried on, one’s favorite earclips should be worn to judge -their effect with the contemplated hat. However large or tiny—a band of -velvet or a fluff of feathers—the hat and the clips should complement one -another. - -On some faces, at certain angles, there is a space between the earlobe -and the cheek. As this breaks the harmony of line, it should be covered -by the clip. In such cases, the earclip should be worn as close as -possible to the face. If the cheekbones are large or high, suggesting -hollows below, a large earclip, properly placed, will seem to fill out -the face. Heavy earclips could be set in palladium, the lightest of the -major jewel metals. Sometimes a piquant contour can be created, as when -a soft hat is tilted down over one ear, with the earclip worn only in the -uncovered ear. The second clip may then be worn on the jacket lapel or on -the dress. - - -_The Shape of Your Face_ - -The general pattern of the face is what must be first considered in -the selection of an earclip. An oval face usually goes with a longer -neck; therefore the eye of the viewer should be tempted to minimize the -distance between the ear lobe and the shoulder. Dangling earclips, or -clips with pendants, will produce this effect—provided they are not too -wide, for width in an earclip makes the face look narrower. And clips -that are too long make one look older. But the oval face will appear chic -with a pendant clip, with stones of different colors and sizes which, -against a round face, would seem vulgar or overdone. If the face tends -to be long and thin, it will be rounded by earclips broad at the base, -tapering toward and perhaps curving around the upper rim of the ear. - -A round face, contrariwise, calls for earclips that can be worn close. -This ensures a youthful appearance. Large, semicircular earclips will -look well, or those with clusters of tiny flowers, grouped as a bouquet. -Tiny stones set on prongs, as in pincushions, or sunbursts, will provide -a rich frame to the round face. - -If the chin tends to be heavy, the earclips should be accented with color -and have an upswept look. Long earclips are permissible, if not thin but -rich-looking and full. In this case, however, they should be worn only -with full décolleté or strapless gown. - -Obviously, small earclips should be avoided on the round face; they will -make it seem broader and the features heavier. Similarly, little bowknots -will seem childish. Any design that merely follows the lines of the ear -lobe will accentuate the roundness, which properly chosen earclips will -not emphasize but use to full advantage. - - -_Details of the Face_ - -Other aspects of the features should be considered in the selection of -earclips. Moles or other minor blemishes may be counteracted by proper -distribution of color accents. Scars from cosmetic and other operations -can be cleverly hidden by correctly designed earclips. They may make a -hearing aid completely invisible. - -A dull or colorless complexion can be brightened with multicolored -earclips and necklaces. The colors of the precious stones will reflect -and shed their glow upon the skin. Bold colors will lend their drama to -the face. - -On eyeglasses, all color should be shunned. Rhinestone-studded or -multicolored frames call attention to themselves. The purpose of -eyeglasses is purely functional; they should be left unobtrusive, not -made competitors of the clip. - -Whatever one’s complexion, it can be embellished by earclips of -appropriate gems. Almost any complexion, however, will be flattered -by the soft red glow of the ruby or the sparkle of the diamond. If a -woman—because it is her birthstone or for other reasons of taste or -sentiment—is partial to a stone that does not suit her complexion, it can -be joined with rubies and diamonds so that it will do lovely things for -the skin. - -The larger the earclip, within the proportions of the head, the smaller -seems the nose. But a woman with a large or pronounced nose should avoid -upswept and backswept earclips which follow the line of the ear lobe; -these will stress the vertical lines of the face and accentuate the -very characteristics that should be minimized. Dome-shaped earclips so -worn that, profile in the mirror, they point forward at the top, will -underplay the prominence of the nose. This simple trick of bringing the -earclips forward will bring the countenance into proper harmony. - - -_Versatile Earclips_ - -An effective earclip, adjustable to many contours, is one that rims both -the top and the bottom of the ear. One of the jewels with which I won -the “Diamond U.S.A. Award” was such a pair of earclips. It consists of -two crescent moons of baguette diamonds flanked by pearls. These are -held in place by a platinum wire that disappears behind the ear. The -crescents are of slightly different sizes. The clip is reversible, so -that the larger crescent may be worn at either top or bottom, whichever -arrangement gives a more graceful contour, according to the hat, the -hairdo and the proportions of the face. Many patterns of such reversible -double clips can be devised. - - -_The Hair and the Earclip_ - -Especially to be considered is the harmony of the earclip and the hair. -To those who enjoy a short hair styling, the earclip adds softness and -helps establish the contour of the face. It is less an adjunct than a -completion of the coiffure. Those who prefer a chignon will find that -flower earclips tend to soften the severity of the style. - - -_The Brunette_ - -Medium brown or brunette hair suggests earclips of pearls and diamonds -worn close to the face. The creamy lustre of the pearl and the sparkling -brilliance of the diamond form a delectable contrast to the brunette -coloring. Turquoises and rubies, as well as corals, are also becoming, -close to the face as color accents to the skin. For the less formal -occasion, topazes—which run the gamut of color from the golden yellow -of honey to the reddish brown of Madeira wine—may work magic for the -dark-eyed girl. If not exaggerated, a gypsy style earclip may add an -exotic touch to the brunette. This must, however, be kept within proper -size, and carefully examined from profile to guard against an extreme -effect. - -If one’s complexion is light, aquamarines will be attractive set in -platinum or gold. To be avoided are dark sapphires with their colorings -of deepest blue, amethysts of the velvety purple hue and garnets with -their deep red cast and undertones of brown. If there are compelling -reasons for wearing clips that contain any of these gems, they should, -by all means, be set in gold and offset with diamonds. A few diamonds, -however small, sprinkled around another gem will add to the general -effect of beauty. - - -_The Darkhaired_ - -For the black-haired woman with blue or grey eyes, the most becoming -stones are aquamarine in red gold or golden topaz in yellow gold—both of -these combined with sapphires. If the eyes are brown, the aquamarines -should be set in platinum and worn with rubies. - - -_The Redhead_ - -Those who have red hair and a fair complexion will find that the most -becoming colors for the ears are the translucent green of the emerald, -the opaque green of the jade, the brilliant blue of the sapphire and -the various shades of the amethyst, from lilac to deep purple. Brown -and yellow colors, as in the topaz and red gold, are to be shunned. -Pearls may be worn, but only if the lustre is pink. Other pearls will -appear chalky against a fair complexion and will not complement a rosy -coloring. For the background of the colored stones, it is best to choose -a light-colored gold or platinum. - - -_The Blonde_ - -For those with fair skin and platinum hair, rubies, amethysts and -aquamarines will do wonders. Pearls, alone or in combination with -diamonds, will enhance the soft shades of the hair. Diamond earclips, -especially set in loops and floral designs, will provide a regal look. - -If the hair is blonde, sapphires, aquamarines, topazes, turquoises and -rubies will underline its golden hue. With blue, grey or hazel eyes, -deep sapphires are particularly effective. With darker eyes, mixed -rubies and sapphires accord, or topaz set in yellow gold. Pearls should -be cream-colored to do their best for a blonde. In the designs and -settings, the plain metallic look of gold and silver should be avoided; -little of any metal should be seen and colored stones should be dispersed -throughout the earclip. - - -_As the Hair Turns Grey_ - -The transition to grey hair is most pleasantly accompanied along the line -of the ears, by using the same earclips with the addition of diamonds. -With full grey hair, diamonds alone are superb, though if the complexion -is light some color will still prove charming. Best would be amethyst -with turquoise set in platinum, or Madeira topaz with sapphires set in -gold. - - -_Important Considerations in Selecting Earclips_ - -Women who are slender and petite should select earclips with an airy -appearance. An earclip can be large, yet still be light and airy. Such a -clip may be designed of pierced metal, lacy and delicate, or of twisted -gold, platinum or palladium. Long diamond earclips are appropriate only -for formal occasions and for evening wear. - -It must be stressed that earclips should be tried on before they are -finally selected. Some women, admiring a pair of clips on a friend, -mistakenly assume that what is beautiful on one person will likewise be -an adornment for another. Not only each countenance but each pair of -ears is different. Large lobes may be covered by attaching the clips at -a different angle. Shaking the head when trying them on will indicate -the necessity for adjustment if the clips tend to slide to a different -position. - -Because no two ear lobes are exactly the same, both clips must be tried -on. What is too tight on one ear may be too loose on the other. If the -difference is great, the jeweler can make a tiny mark by which the clips -may be distinguished. - -Careful testing, apart from the question of fit, is particularly -important when the earclips are ready-made. The designer in such a case -had no single individual in mind, but a simple adjustment may turn a -routine clip into one that establishes itself as a personal adjunct to -beauty. - -An earclip may sometimes, by an invisible attachment on the back, be -converted into a hair ornament or a clip to be worn on the dress. -Earclips with pendants can be so fashioned that the pendants may be -changed or the hanging part removed for less formal occasions. For -any occasion, from a business engagement to the most formal function, -earclips are an essential and most effective part of a woman’s jewels. - - - - -CHAPTER 6 - -_The Necklace_ - - -_The Symbolism of the Necklace_ - -The necklace is the most conspicuous of adornments. The earclip is more -subtle, because it performs a double function: it is to be noticed -for its own beauty; at the same time, quietly and without advertising -this aspect of its role, it helps to shape the contour of the head and -to bring out a radiant glow in the countenance. In the necklace, the -importance of these functions is reversed. The jewel worn around the -neck can play a part in moulding the personality and enhancing its -highlights—it must always be chosen with these things in mind, but its -major purpose is display. - -Because of its prominence, the necklace from early times has been a -symbol of high office. It was worn by kings and was reserved for those to -be specially honored, as soldiers returning from victorious campaigns. It -is still part of the ceremonial regalia of priests of various religions. - -The universal employment of the necklace as an article of feminine -adornment has led to its almost complete withdrawal from the masculine -wardrobe. For formal occasions, however, it is still used to designate -rank or honorary station, in some variation of the wide band that goes -around the neck and comes down to, or is fastened at, the belt. In -the United States, for example, the President signalizes the bravest -soldiers by placing around their necks the Congressional Medal of Honor. - -For most of its uses, the necklace is donned without any sense of this -long symbolic history. Yet it may not be too imaginative to find an echo -of this significance in the romantic gesture with which a man places a -beautiful necklace around the neck of his beloved. - - -_The General Effect_ - -Being the most prominent article of personal adornment, the necklace -requires considerate care. Poorly chosen for the particular individual—no -matter how attractive the jewel in itself—it may make a woman seem -overdressed. Stones of the wrong color may make her skin look sallow. A -heedlessly selected style may emphasize wrinkles in the neck. With proper -thought, however, the right necklace, well fitted, not only presents its -own beauty but adds youth and beauty to the chinline and neck of the -wearer. - -The saying that a woman is as old as she looks gains further truth from -the powers of jewelry to contribute to the color of the skin and the -lines of the body. The lines that curve upward from the shoulders to the -head have much to do with the general impression of youthfulness, vigor -and health, or of drab weariness, fatigue, and age. And it is along these -lines that even the most beautiful woman draws on the aid of the necklace -and seeks not just the beautiful but the beautifying jewel. - - -_The Diamond Necklace_ - -The sparkle of the diamond necklace suits any complexion and enhances -the glow of any skin. Unfortunately, its use is restricted to special -occasions, which alas too seldom shed their brilliance upon one’s crowded -year. At opening night of the Horse Show or the Opera, the diamond -necklace is worn, as at the season’s Charity Ball or a Gala Concert. It -is appropriate, also, at formal receptions and, of course, should always -accompany a woman on a trip abroad. - - -_The Rivière_ - -One of the most attractive, dressiest and most timeless styles in -the diamond necklace is that single strand of diamonds, the straight -line necklace, known as the rivière, or river of light. Whether the -diamonds are uniform, that is, all of equal size, or graduated around -the neck with the largest centered in front, nothing should be allowed -to interfere with the incomparable beauty of the gems. No medallions of -precious metal should be allowed between. The one concern of the jeweler -should be to achieve the flowing sequence of perfect solitaires, in one -accordant interplay, a cascading river of brilliance and sparkle. - -Care must be taken with the fitting of the rivière so that none of -the diamonds will overturn when it is worn. An expert craftsman knows -that the first requirement is the pre-shaping of the mountings, before -the stones are set, to conform not only to the shape but also to the -movements of the neck. A painstaking jeweler may make a plaster cast of -the lovely neck and shoulders which are to receive the rivière; upon this -cast he can form the rounding jewel. Every good jeweler possesses some of -the skills of the sculptor. - -The round diamond solitaire rivière is, beyond all compare, the most -brilliant and regal of necklaces. The fireworks of light, constantly -flashing from gem to gem, echoing and re-echoing their sparkle, give to -the skin a soft and velvety glow. - - -_The Baguette Necklace_ - -Another beautiful diamond necklace, almost as attractive as the round -solitaires, is one made of baguette diamonds. It is both more sedate in -mood and more modern in style. The baguette necklace, moreover, while it -is beautiful in its sole array of diamonds, may also be worn with further -adornment—a diamond motif or clip or tassel, of which more will be said -in connection with other necklaces. - -The rivière necklace, round or baguette, is often made so that it can -be separated to form two bracelets. It is thus a flexible jewel and can -be used on the arm when the informality of the occasion would make the -all-diamond necklace less appropriate. - - -_The Pearl Necklace_ - -Although the diamond necklace, especially the unsurpassed rivière, is -worn only on the most special occasions, there is hardly ever an occasion -on which a properly chosen pearl necklace is out of place. The pearl -necklace is the most beloved as well as the most versatile of all such -jewels. The simplest tailored suit will be graced by a tailored choker, -or by one or two strands of well-matched pearls. The pearl necklace can -be worn on a sweater, a high-neck dress, a V-neck dress, a low-cut gown. -I have seen one, though I do not recommend it, worn with a bikini; and -one, doubled about the ankle, taking the place of the thin “slave chain” -of gold. - -The pearl necklace looks proper on a simple lass in her teens, and it -graces the frail or fuller charms of an elderly lady. While it is thus -general in its range of use, it is by no means indiscriminate in its -bounty; the shade and the size of pearls must be carefully selected in -order for their harmony to enhance the wearer. - - -_The Colors of the Pearl_ - -There are innumerable shades of pearls from which to choose. They vary -from chalk white through rose pink to dark cream. Some of them are -greyish or brownish; these may be becoming if suited to the complexion. -The general whiteness we first associate with the pearl is overlaid with -these other tones in softest lustre. - -The simplest way of selecting the tint of pearl that will add its glow to -the complexion is to lay the strand against the inside of the wrist. Each -strand should be moved slowly back and forth and compared with the skin -tones. Usually one lustre of the pearls, one particular tint, will bring -out a velvety glow on the skin. This is the proper complementary shade -for the complexion. In making such a choice, it is well to take counsel -from the trained observation of a reliable jeweler. - - -_For the Brunette_ - -For a brunette, or someone with well-tanned skin, care must be taken lest -the pearls be too white. This will cause a dulling of the glow of the -skin. The wrist test described above will reveal that, for the brunette, -cream-colored pearls are the best. - - -_For the Blonde and the Redhead_ - -Either a blonde or a redhead, with a fair complexion, will find the -virtues of her skin enhanced by pearls of a pinkish hue. Especially on a -blonde, pearls can be most attractive. - -For platinum hair, however, more than the complexion must be considered. -In such cases, the wrist test is not enough. The pearls should be laid -against the hair, as though to form a head-band. Usually platinum hair -will accord with pearls of a greyish-white tint. - -Properly chosen pearls will withstand the variations in skin shades due -to the seasons. The fairer skin of winter, the summer’s burn or tan, do -not affect the underlying pigmentation which harmonizes with the lustre -of the pearl. - -A woman gives time and thought to the selection of a harmonious shade of -lipstick or nail polish; she should take more pains with the selection of -the more permanent and more important necklace of pearls. - - -_For a Long Neck_ - -A woman with a long neck will find that its length seems diminished if -the necklace is of the choker type, fitted very closely into the nape -of the neck. It should be of uniform size all around, not tapering down -towards the back. If the neck is thin, it may be made to seem quite -attractive in a chiffon scarf with the necklace over it. - - -_For a Wide Neck_ - -A tapering necklace, loosely worn, with a prominent center pearl, will -tend to pull together the lines of a neck that is wide. A double strand -necklace, hanging with some space between the strands to make it airier, -will also counteract the sense of width. For a slimming effect, a tight -necklace should be avoided. - -Large beads will make a neck look smaller but must not be worn if the -neck is both full and short With a short neck, a long string of pearls -or beads may be draped loosely over a dress with a low neckline, without -collar or scarf. If the strands are properly arranged, close together or -loose as the neck demands, more than one strand may be worn no matter how -the neck is fashioned. - - -_Size of Pearls_ - -The size of the pearl is also to be considered. On a long neck, it is -wiser to have the pearls all of one size. On a wider neck, they will -be more attractive if they are graduated, smaller ones at the back and -around the sides, then growing toward a large central pearl at the front. - -Note that with a young girl large pearls are not in good taste. A string -of smaller, well chosen and well matched pearls is impeccable and -charming. - - -_The Proper Stringing of Pearls_ - -Once a fine strand of pearls has been selected, it should be strung so -as to gain full advantage from its own lustre. The glow of pearls is -enhanced by their reflection; the closer they are to one another, the -more beautiful they all look. Knots, sometimes fashioned between pearls -to strengthen their stringing, should never be made in the front of the -necklace. But if this is done, for reasons of safety, the pearl stringer -must take care to make the knots extremely small and very close with no -gaps showing between the pearls. The rhythm of the well-matched pearl -necklace with the highlights moving from one pearl to the next should not -be disturbed by improper stringing. When a string breaks, it is virtually -always near the clasp; knots, therefore, should be made for the five -pearls on each side of the clasp. This is usually enough for safety and -does not interfere with the beauty of the jewel. - - -_The Necklace Clasp_ - -Whatever the necklace, it must have a clasp. For a single strand, the -clasp should be small and worn in the back. A large clasp is apt to turn -or become entangled in the hair. - -With a pearl necklace, a clasp of a colored stone, such as a ruby or an -emerald, will make an effective complement, highlighting the pearls; but -for any necklace a diamond clasp offers perfect harmony. A frequently -available diamond to use for such a clasp may be found nestling next to -the little finger of the left hand—the diamond of the engagement ring, -“grown too small along the years.” Such a stone has lost none of its -sentimental value. Its sparkle and the memory of courtship nights may be -preserved in a necklace clasp. - - -_Designs for Clasps_ - -A larger necklace of double or triple strands naturally calls for a more -elaborate clasp. Such a clasp should not be merely a functional piece to -hold the necklace together; it should be chosen for its own beauty and -harmony. Often such a clasp, with the holding mechanism hidden, is worn -in the front. - -An effective design, in excellent taste with most jewels, may be -fashioned in a flower motif with a black pearl in the centre. A -smart-looking clasp, consisting of round diamonds and baguettes, can be -made to separate into as many smaller clasps as the necklace has strands. -One may thus wear a single necklace of, say, three strands, or three -separate necklaces at the same time or on different occasions. Different -lengths and combinations of necklaces can be arranged, in this way, to -suit the mood or various degrees of décolleté. Clipped together, the -whole clasp forms a beautiful ornament at the back of the necklace. - - -_For Formal Wear_ - -With a strapless evening gown, where the line of the back should be -uninterrupted, another pattern of necklace and clasp lends distinction -to the ensemble. This is an arrangement of three to five strands in the -front, with only two or, at most, three smaller strands, close together -in the back. There are two motifs, one on each side, separating the back -strands from the ones in front; one of these motifs conceals the clasp. -The two motifs, which may be of diamonds or of gold, should be visible -only from the front, so as to preserve the graceful lines of the back -décolleté; they can be highly decorative while remaining less formal or -less pretentious than a necklace of diamonds. - -When wearing such a many-stranded necklace, long earclips, at other -times suitable to an evening gown, should be eschewed; the combination -will seem overdone. The two clasps and the strands of pearls will be -sufficiently eloquent, if worn together with regular, not pendant, -earrings. - - -_The Sentimental Clasp_ - -A clasp may often be fashioned of an heirloom. There may be a brooch or -a ring which has been passed along in a family for generations or been -linked with personal and sentimental episodes and memories. Or there may -be a piece of jewelry which a woman does not wish to abandon—yet which -has fallen out of style. What may look old-fashioned on the dress front -may preserve all its beauty as a clasp. Indeed, an old piece of jewelry, -without altering the setting, may in this way be incorporated into a -necklace. The very beautiful early Victorian or baroque flower brooches, -for example, and rings and ornamental pins of those styles, may readily -be converted into clasps for a two- or three-strand necklace. A brooch -may become a centerpiece to be worn in the front, or it can give an -unusual but becoming effect worn at the side. Carefully fitted to sit at -the proper place at one side of the neck, such a clasp adds distinction -to the contour. - - -_Fitting the Pearl Necklace_ - -A properly chosen pearl or bead necklace can do much to counterbalance -features of the neck. Few women realize this and therefore do not pay -sufficient attention to their choice. They spend less time on this than -on the selection of a hat. Yet I have seen cases where as little as -one-eighth of an inch difference in length made all the difference in the -world in beauty. - -For a long neck, the necklace should be short and rest on or a little -above the nape of the neck. For a shorter and wider neck, the necklace -should come a little below the nape to create an oval rather than a round -impression. A heavy neck can be deftly dressed in three or four strands. -The first strand should nestle slightly below the nape of the neck with -just a little space left between the rows—too much will give the effect -of a dowager. Properly spaced, such a necklace will create a slender and -youthful appearance. A motif on each side, by breaking the even line, -will further create an effect of a longer and more slender neck. - - -_The Bead Necklace_ - -For thousands of years the lapidaries of India have painstakingly, -by hand, cut, polished and pierced rubies to fashion them into beads -for necklaces. The often uneven shape is preserved so that the slight -irregularity of the beads both stresses their preciousness and adds to -their charm. Ruby beads are usually strung on silk or on platinum wire, -as are beads of emeralds and sapphires. The beautiful glow of these -precious stones is soft and flattering, no less so when interspersed with -motifs of brilliant diamonds and baguettes. Such an array of rubies or -deep sapphires, directly touching the radiant skin, is a breathtaking -sight. - - -_Fashions From India_ - -The Indian Maharanees, visiting the leading fashion centers of the world -less than a century ago, came with large assortments of these precious -gems. The many-stranded necklace, first seen in the gorgeous costuming -of the Eastern lands, created a new fashion in the western world. Today -every elegant occasion is sure to be graced with some of these necklaces -of rare and exquisite beauty. - -I once had the pleasure of designing for Her Highness Indira Dewi, the -Maharanee of Cooch-Behar, a parure of ruby beads: earrings, necklace, -bracelet and ring of enormous stones, all combined with diamonds. My -first visit with Her Highness held me amazed. She opened a great cowhide -coffer which contained an unforgettable assortment of pouches made of -the finest gold brocade; they held a veritable dream of riches. Rubies, -sapphires, emeralds poured forth—thousands of carats in each pouch. I -watched, as though in a vision of Aladdin’s cave, while this glimpse of -the Orient was spread before me. - -It was much as the Elizabethan poet Christopher Marlowe pictured in his -dream of the Orient splendor: - - Give me the merchants of the Indian mines, - That trade in metal of the purest mould; - The wealthy Moor, that in the eastern rocks - Without control can pick his riches up - And in his house heap pearls like pebble-stones, - Receive them free, and sell them by the weight; - Bags of fiery opals, sapphires, emeralds, - Beauteous rubies, sparkling diamonds, - And seld-seen costly stones of so great price - As one of them indifferently rated - And of a carat of this quantity - May serve in peril of calamity - To ransom great kings from captivity ... - Infinite riches in a little room. - - -_Other Necklace Jewels_ - -Necklaces are, of course, wrought with many other stones. There are soft -and Battering shades of aquamarine, turquoise, amethyst, lapis lazuli, -the frequent coral and the aristocratic jade—to name but a few—that look -superb on a proud neck. Earclips and rings may usually be worn to match. -Such parures and semiprecious stones make ideal sets for daytime wear, -especially, since they combine delightfully with cotton and with chintz, -for a young, fresh, summertime effect. - -Coral may be used in almost any range of red, from deep ox-blood to the -most delicate hue of pink. The white corals, especially chalk-white, are -unbecoming to most shades of skin and are not recommended save for that -summer shade regretfully called “new sunburn.” Whatever the stones, the -color of the necklace should be chosen with regard to the more usual -complexion so that the brightness of the jewels adds an accordant glow to -the skin. - - -_The Necklace of Gold_ - -Today the gold necklace is worn in endless variety. It may be narrow or -wide; simple or elaborate; classical, antique or modern. - -A tailored gold necklace can be worn throughout the day. It is likely to -have rather heavy links, and the brightness of the gold will shed lovely -highlights on the skin. Or it may be fashioned of twisted wire, sometimes -in multicolored gold, thereby creating a three-dimensional effect in -the design. Here again the jewel shows how akin the goldsmith is to the -sculptor. - -The dressier types of necklace are worn quite wide. They are daintily -made, woven to deserve the name “neck-lace.” Being fashioned of fine -metal into open work, they are flexible and follow the movements of -the neck. Such a gold necklace can be touched with diamonds or colored -stones, so as to create a lively interplay of highlights which brighten -the soft glow of the skin. The metal should be chosen so as to capture -not the brazen but the softer qualities of the gold. - - -_Appendages: The Tassel_ - -A charming variation from the plain band around the neck is achieved by -the addition of a tassel. The knot of this may be a tight band of gold, -plain or centered with a diamond. The hanging cords may be links or -chains or tiny medallions of gold; they may be many strands of pearls; -or they may be baguette and round diamonds in a tumbling cascade. There -is something especially feminine, and pleasantly gay, in a tassel. Its -constant motion keeps it ever freshly beautiful. - -The tassel may be worn, for a change, gaily swinging from the jacket as a -lapel pin, but it is at its best on the necklace. There it will usually -hang from the center; but it should be made detachable so that, with -certain dresses, it may be put on the necklace at the side to give a -different, piquant air to the ensemble. - - -_Appendages: The Single Drop_ - -At the height of mid-century necklace fashion is the addition of the -single drop. This should not be long, like a pendant, but rather one -large extra stone, clipped on close to the collier to add chic and -smartness. It may be a pear-shaped diamond, a grey or a black pearl, -an emerald, or indeed any stone that harmonizes with the necklace -color—though most frequently such a drop is worn on a necklace of -diamonds or pearls. The single stone is set with an almost invisible -clasp and can be attached to the necklace at any point desired. -Resultant effects can be startling. The appearance of the necklace may -be completely transformed; a daytime jewel may be transmuted to evening -elegance. Various moods can be deftly suggested, or stressed, by the -clever placing of the jewel drop. - - -_Transformations_ - -The construction of a necklace so that it can be transformed, as I -suggested before in connection with the rivière, marks an increasing -aspect of jewelry design. The diamond necklace, appropriate only to the -off-shoulder evening gown and adorning only the most formal occasions, -spends more time in the treasure chest or vault than any other jewel. Its -usefulness is increased many-fold when it is so created that it comes -apart to form bracelets and clips and other jewels more frequently worn. - -The devising of detachable parts and convertible jewels is no new-fangled -practice. It began in France before the French Revolution, first gaining -popularity with a social élite that initiated many fashions. Many -eighteenth and nineteenth century necklaces also served as tiaras. Jewels -in our museums today testify to the great skill and ingenuity with which -the earlier artists cunningly contrived and concealed the mechanical -devices that made possible these transformations. - - -_My Own Conversions_ - -One of my own most exacting assignments was to create such a necklace -for a beautiful Viennese ballerina. It was specified that the necklace -should separate to form a bracelet and five clips of various sizes. -Two of these were to form an assorted pair of dress clips; two were to -be matched for the ears; one was to be larger, to serve as a brooch -but with an attachment so that it might also become a hair ornament. -The completed necklace, which was really a unified parure, was put on -exhibition, bringing me my first Gold Medal _für Schönheit und Kunst_ at -the Künstlerhaus. - -Another of my necklaces, displayed in color in Vogue Magazine, is -separable into two bracelets, of different size and design, and a large -dip that can be used on a dress or as the centerpiece in other jewels. - -Other convertibles suggest themselves, once the imagination begins to -play. It must be remembered that the problem is complex, because it is -not simply a question of what other jewels a main piece can be broken -into. The major concern is how well all the transformations fit the -personality of the individual who is to wear them. - -I have designed a diamond-encircled ring, the main piece of which is a -diamond rose. The center stone of this rose may be changed, so that a -ruby, emerald or pearl can be set in, according to the mood, the occasion -and the color of the gown. Also, the entire diamond rose may be detached -to become a brooch or a main attachment on a bracelet. - -Another of my convertible jewels is a diamond necklace that can be used -as a choker or, by the addition of platinum chains, can be lengthened -in various sizes. It may also, with the help of the platinum chains, be -turned into two bracelets. Still another convertible—of which there can -be many motifs—is a fan-rosette clip, made to slide so smoothly onto a -diamond necklace that the two become one jewel. - -I have found it a challenge to devise necklaces convertible into other -unusual jewels; many of these have been exhibited and shown on newsreels -throughout the world. - - -_What a Woman Wears, Others See_ - -A mirror is the nearest a woman looking at her jewels can come to the -world’s viewpoint. She wears the jewels; others should admire the effect. -And they will only if the complexion, the contours and the personality -have all been wrought into harmony in the selection of the jewel. The -completely garbed and adorned woman is the jewel. - -Few women can buy a different necklace for each garment they are likely -to wear. A well chosen necklace should be attractive whether worn close -to a high-neck dress or above an off-shoulder gown. It should be tried on -with both types of dress before being bought. - -A good jeweler will not only permit but encourage such a practice. He -will lend his counsel out of his wide experience. He will probably be -more interested in making a woman happy than in making a sale. (Even -from the point of view of his own financial advantage, this is a wise, -long-range view. And no woman should go to a jeweler whose interest in -her will not be long-range.) In addition to a good jeweler, there should -be another male more nearly concerned, whose opinion is valued. But -the woman herself has to face the world with her jewels. They are her -adjuncts and intimate accessories to beauty. In the final choice she must -remember that the necklace, most prominent of her jewels, must capture -her own personality and tastefully proclaim her character. - - - - -CHAPTER 7 - -_The Ring_ - - -While the necklace is the most conspicuous jewel in a woman’s parure, and -the earclip does more than any other to make subtle alterations in her -appearance, the finger ring is beyond compare the most popular of all -jewels. There seems little to be said about the purchase of a ring except -that one should select a beautiful jewel, and yet there are many ways -in which the ring can not only contribute to the overall effect of the -personality but actually beautify the hand. - - -_The Giving of a Ring_ - -In the first place, the manifold aspects of its symbolism—to be discussed -more fully later—bar this jewel from any casual giving. A brooch, a -clip, earclips, or a bracelet: all these might be sent as a gift to any -person, without further thought; but a ring is bought for and given to -a relative, or someone closer still—or someone to whom one wishes to be -close. And the recipient of a ring should be aware of the implications -involved in its acceptance. If a ring is proffered as a gift before -there is an understanding that admits of such a present, the intended -recipient will find a gracious way of declining such an “elaborate” or -“too magnificent” or “over-generous” gift. - - -_Consider the Hand_ - -The right to give a ring includes the pleasure of selecting a gift that -will both please and adorn. This demands some consideration of that fine -instrument too often taken for granted, the human hand. Most of the time -we merely use our hands. Nevertheless, almost unconsciously yet almost -inevitably, our glance falls upon a person’s fingers when we meet, for -the hands are the surest guide to an individual’s make-up. And I do not -mean the “make-up” that is applied. Faces may be altered; neck wrinkles -may be disguised; fingernails are dressed up; chins may be lifted; noses -may be shaped—the hands remain undisguised. - -The ring calls attention to the hand. It invites the gaze, which, while -admiring the ring, is also aware of the fingers that are background to -the jewel. And the ring should be selected not only to fit the finger but -also to suit the hand. - - -_Proportions of the Hand_ - -A hand may be long and slender or long and large. It may be short and -stubby or short and thin. It may taper from the palm along almost -straight fingers or have the line broken by larger knuckles. There are -differences in the proportion between the fingers and the palm. All of -these elements of finger size and shape, of hand proportions, should -be weighed in selecting a ring. They have an important bearing on the -size and shape of the stones, and on the width or thickness of the band. -Comparatively few women, however often they may have polished their -nails, are really familiar with their hands. - -Certain general proportions between rings and hands need little more than -mention. A small ring overemphasizes a large hand. On slender fingers or -a small hand, a large ring is overpowering. If a fairly large ring is -desired by someone with a dainty hand, a dome-shaped ring may be most -becoming, or a ring with the stone set high; but it should be worn only -on the third finger. Such a ring adds considerable style to an outfit. -If the fingers are quite short, however, it will be best to choose an -oblong ring. If the fingers are long and thin, the stone should be set -so as to run not along the finger but across it; the eye, following the -ring, tends to foreshorten the finger length. The ring should fit the -personality; the stone may fit the occasion. - - -_The Diamond Ring: The Engagement Ring_ - -The engagement ring is, in all probability, a young woman’s first -important ring. There is, for this, hardly any choice other than a -diamond. The gem, however, may be variously set. Usually it is a single -stone, the solitaire, in a plain band of gold or platinum. The diamond -may be brilliant cut; this is conservative but in impeccable taste. It -should be set in thin high prongs of the chosen metal, so as to give -fullest play to the light from all its facets and to take full advantage -of its irradiating brilliance. - -Among other cuts that are favored for the engagement diamond are the -square, the emerald, and the pear-shaped. For shorter or thicker fingers, -a highly effective cut is the marquise. This cut is named in honor of the -Marquise de Montespan, an elegant, beautiful and sensible woman who was -mistress of Louis XIV. Aware of the somewhat short length of her fingers, -she ordered the crown jeweler to have her ring diamonds cut in the form -of an oval pointed at both ends. Because it resembles a boat, this cut -is sometimes called the navette, but now more often the marquise. Making -the fingers seem longer and more slender, it at once became a popular -diamond style. When testing the appearance of a stone on the finger, it -is well to look at a marquise-cut diamond. - -While the solitaire is still the most popular engagement ring, there is a -youthful jauntiness in combinations of diamonds which has made the use of -several stones a current vogue. Almost any newly betrothed maiden would -feel keenly disappointed if the ring did not have as its center stone the -large solitaire. But this may be pleasantly flanked by smaller stones of -different cut, such as two baguettes lying close along the band. - - -_The Wedding Ring_ - -The obvious symbolism of the wedding ring, as it is often told today, -marks the subjection of the woman to the will of the man, her pledge to -continue to love, honor _and obey_. Some supposed thinkers in the field -of folklore go farther, and tell us that the ring is placed on the left, -the inferior, hand to denote that the woman is “inferior.” These ideas -are manifestly advanced by men. Two facts at once put them out of joint. -In the first place, the wedding ring for long periods of time was worn on -the right hand. In the second place, for equally long periods of time, -both bride and groom had a ring put on in mutual bondage. - -The basic significance of the ring remains, however, twofold. The first -meaning is symbolical. Being endless, the ring betokens the love without -end that is the hope of the betrothal and the realization of two lives -long spent “as one.” The second meaning was practical. The marriage ring -was the man’s signet ring, which was as universally obeyed as his direct -order, for the stamp of that seal was as the thunder of his command. -By placing this ring on the bride’s finger, he was conferring upon her -equal authority in the household and home—literally carrying out what -he declared in the wedding service: “With all my worldly goods I thee -endow.” It is not subordination but everlasting equality in mutual -respect and love that is held in the magic circle of the wedding band. - - -_The Wearing of the Band_ - -Two rings should not be worn at the same time on the same hand, except -the wedding ring, which in due time comes to slide along the same finger -as the engagement ring to mark the fulfilment of the first ring’s -promise. As they are to be boon companions for a long, long time, the -wedding ring should be of the same metal as the engagement ring. The wide -wedding band, though almost universal at the beginning of this century -and returning to popularity, has certain disadvantages. It looks becoming -only on a large hand. Even there it may make the engagement ring look too -small. - -In more than the size and the metal, the engagement ring’s style should -be considered in the purchase of the wedding band. A neutral pattern is -simplest to match. It might be an unadorned band of metal or a simple -ring of small round, baguette or marquise diamonds, or two of these cuts -alternating, set close to the metal. Alternating marquise and round -diamonds may form a sort of crown design and a most attractive jewel. -There is a great variety of possible patterns and styles among which one -should select carefully, for this is the choice of a lifetime. - -In measuring the size of the wedding band, care should be taken not to -make it too snug. Even if one be fortunate enough not to add weight with -the years, the size of the fingers changes with the seasons. They swell a -little in hot weather, and if the band is too tight the finger will bulge -on either side. It is better to fit the ring for the July finger, and in -December, if necessary, wear an unobtrusive and attractive guard. - - -_The Pearl Ring_ - -After the diamond ring in beauty and popularity, and freer from any -intimate symbolism, is the pearl ring. The pearl ring is appropriate -throughout the day for many occasions. It will harmonize with most -colors, once it has been carefully chosen—as I indicated when discussing -the pearl necklace—to harmonize with the wearer’s complexion. In fact, a -pearl necklace and a pearl ring may make a beautiful combination. - -The pearl ring is often enhanced by the effect of flanking diamonds. A -white pearl against white skin sometimes calls for added light or color. -By proper design, with well chosen accompanying stones, a pearl may be -made to look lighter or darker, larger and more luminous. - -I once had a client with a large grey pearl that was not dark enough -for her taste. As she was a motion picture star, moreover, she had to -be concerned with how the jewel would photograph. I suggested mounting -the pearl in a high setting with a background of baguette diamonds. The -brilliance of the diamonds caught and reflected the shadings of the -pearl, both adding to the depth of its color and increasing the quality -of its lustrous tones. It enhanced the lightness of the actress’s skin -and in her photographs stood out as a most striking jewel. - - -_The Black Pearl_ - -Beyond all other combinations, the white pearl stands in superb contrast -with the black. The grey pearl also makes an interesting counterbalance -with the white, but the effects of the rare black pearl are unique. Crown -jewels of almost every kingdom, active or in exile, include a design -utilizing the values of the white pearl with the black. - -Until recent years, the black pearl was the most sought after of all -its kind, and wise women today are again appreciating its values. There -is no more dramatic accent than the dark lustre of a black pearl against -a fair skin. The most striking use I ever saw of such a contrast was at -a party when Marlene Dietrich commanded every eye. She had asked me to -design a ring for her with three large pearls, one black, one white, one -pink. For her beautiful hand I mounted the three pearls high and set them -against round and baguette diamonds. Shortly after the ring was finished, -I saw Marlene at the party. She wore a simple dress, high-necked and -long-sleeved. With sure discrimination she wore very few jewels: -earrings, of which one was a white pearl, one was a black; and the pearl -ring. The striking ensemble could not have been better displayed. - -There can be great dramatic value in a single pearl. - - -_Decorative Rings_ - -Most of the rings a woman wears, of course, are purely decorative without -symbolism or intent beyond the enhancing of her beauty. The variety of -such rings is infinite, and the range allows wide choice, no matter what -the personality and taste of the wearer. - -The little finger is often favored for a decorative ring, and certain -flower motifs are attractive there. Such a ring should be comparatively -small; the little finger must border the hand with a straight line. This -ring requires careful fitting so that it will not turn to the side. Women -who are active or who move their hands a lot while talking should avoid -the pinkie ring, as delicate settings may be damaged by frequent knocks. - - -_Matched With Earclips_ - -A growing trend is to match a finger ring with a pair of earclips. -Such a set may lend its harmony to an ensemble. There are patterns of -dome-shaped earclips that also make attractive rings. Flower designs, -similarly used, if modulated in three dimensions, can produce dramatic -effects. The stones and the design in the ring may be the same size as in -the earclips or a little smaller. - -The sculptor Rodin hid the hands of his great statue of Balzac, because -he wanted the beholders’ eyes to move directly up to the massive head. -But the everyday beholders of a fair lady see her moving hands as well as -her lively countenance; and the matching earclips and finger ring form a -pleasant device for tying together the charms of the personality. - - -_Interchangeable Centers_ - -Another ring design that has a comparatively new vogue is that with a -changeable center. A permanent band and setting are prepared. The best -stones for the setting, to harmonize with any possible center stone, are -diamonds. Thus baguette diamonds along the band, with perhaps a round -stone, or a marquise, on each side next to the center, make a beautiful -background to any stone. Then, for the center stone, one may have a -varied selection, using what fits one’s mood and the occasion. A pearl, -an emerald, a sapphire, a ruby: stones of similar size can be mounted -so that any one can be set into the jewel. In this way, with the single -mounting, a series of rings can be worn, surprisingly different in their -appearance and effect. - -There are other changes that can be effected with rings, almost of the -order of optical illusions. If a woman who has been wearing a ring on -her third finger transfers it to the little finger, she will think that -the gem has grown—perhaps a carat or more. Moving a ring in the other -direction makes it seem smaller. Perhaps a ring usually worn on one -finger really belongs on another. This transference often gives a ring a -new added attraction and wearability. The cost of resizing is very small. - - -_Ring Sizes_ - -Whatever the finger, the ring should not be made too tight. As I said -before, it is better to have a guard ring, which, though a narrow band, -can be made in itself an article of true adornment. - -Should a ring that has not been taken off for some time resist removal, -it should not be forced. Some women become panicky when they cannot pull -off a ring—as though its obstinacy made them unwilling slaves. A little -soapy water will usually prove effective. The moistened hand should be -held pointing toward the ceiling, while the finger is gently massaged. -When the swelling seems to have somewhat subsided, the ring should be -turned around and around, with a slight upward pull; once past the wide -part of the finger, it is off. If the ring continues rebellious, the -jeweler is equipped with special instruments for the painless removal of -tight-fitting rings. - -If the knuckles are large, the ring that passes over them will of -course be loose where it is supposed to stay snug. Here too the jeweler -can assist. A simple adjustment, of which there are several types, -accommodates the ring to the different finger sizes. The ring will slip -off easily, yet stay fixed in the proper position, neither sliding nor -turning around. - - -_Rings and Nail Polish_ - -More than once, in selecting a ring, a woman has rejected one that was -quite beautiful, because it did not look well on her hands. This is an -excellent reason—if the hands were not prejudiced by the nail polish. The -polish should be fitted to the ring, not the ring to the polish. In other -words, when the selection of a ring is the business of the day, a neutral -polish or none at all should be worn. After the ring has been chosen, -the polish should be selected to complement the stone. With the colored -stones of a dinner ring, this is important. - -With a diamond ring, for example, the frosty white nail polish should -be avoided, as it diminishes the beauty of the gem. With a coral ring, -the nail polish that suggests itself is of an orange hue. With a ruby, -perhaps a purplish polish, but not too deep, lest by its ardor it make -the ruby look pale. Some colored stones will be attractive with more than -one shade of nail polish. A little experimentation and taste can create -surprisingly varied and dramatic effects, as the nails, differently -colored for an evening and for a weekend afternoon, differently interplay -with the colors of the ring. - - -_About Wearing a Ring_ - -Some fashions in rings and their wearing call for brief comment. Although -the Elizabethan men and three hundred years later their sisters in the -frenzied Twenties of this century wore rings over their gloves, the -practice has lapsed from good taste. A ring with a large stone or a -dome-shaped design should be turned with this toward the palm before a -glove is put on; there will then be no difficulty nor tear. - -The current fashion of fingernails keeps them long and almost pointed. -A woman who for practical or other reasons wears her nails short will -find that her rings appear to better advantage if she keeps her bracelets -a little higher on the arm. This, in a sense, incorporates part of the -wrist into the hand, giving at that end the greater length which has been -lost at the other. - -Rings should always be taken off when the hands are washed. This is -even more important when what are being washed are not the hands but -the dishes, for soapy water may harm the rings. It may actually take -the lustre from certain stones; but in any case, a film of soap on the -under-surface of a stone deprives the jewel of that glow it is supposed -to have and mars the beauty which is the jewel’s excuse for being. - -No matter how careful one may be, the ring, worn on the most animated -and active part of the body, requires cleaning more often than any other -jewel. The ring, as I began by saying, calls attention to the hand which -should be well manicured and groomed. But especially the ring should be -chosen and worn so that it becomes an effectively contributing part of a -woman’s beauty. - - - - -CHAPTER 8 - -_The Bracelet_ - - -_Early Uses_ - -The bracelet (from _bras_, the French for arm) or armlet was in early -times worn at various places along the arm. Placed high on the forearm -and above the biceps, a tight band gave added strength to the warrior -for speedy manipulation of his shield. A woman was more likely to wear -her bracelets closer to the wrist. In some parts of the Orient, however, -bracelets of coins were worn by the women as evidence of their husbands’ -wealth; these might, band after band, encircle the entire arm, making -it, in full regalia on formal occasions, much too heavy for lifting. In -general, bracelets were worn in styles determined by the fashion of the -age and the rank of the wearer. Today, their use is purely for decorative -purposes. - - -_The Emperors of India_ - -The earliest bracelets, among the ancient Egyptians and probably the -Hebrews, employed no precious stones, being solid bands of plain or -enameled metal that slipped over the hands. The practice of setting the -bracelet with brightly colored gems grew almost elaborate among the Mogul -Emperors of India. Two of these royal bracelets of great splendor were -carried off from Delhi by the Persian conqueror Nadir Shah in 1739. The -main stone of the right armlet is the twin of the Kohinoor, the almost -equally famous Darya-i-nur, “river of light.” It is a diamond of 186 -carats, recognized as having the finest brilliance in the world. The -main stone of the left armlet is a diamond of 146 carats, the Taj-e-mah, -“crown of the moon.” - - -_Various Materials_ - -Among primitive peoples, bracelets of various materials have been -continuously popular, often several worn on a single arm. The better ones -are made of gold, silver, or mother-of-pearl; others are fashioned of -iron, copper, horn, beads and other materials. In China, prized bracelets -are cut of a single piece of jade. - -In the Orient, the use of the bracelet never lapsed. In Europe, the arm -decoration—along with other adornment—grew less popular in the Middle -Ages, but with the flowering of the Renaissance the bracelet again came -into fashion. - - -_Types of Bracelets_ - -There are two main types of bracelets in general use. First came the -stiff bangle bracelet, a rigid band. This may be of one piece, the -so-called “slave” bracelet, which must be slipped over the hand. Or it -may be provided with a hinged and a pronged catch or other form of a -clasp, which either opens or loosens the bracelet for putting on and -removal. The second type is the flexible bracelet. This may be a linked -chain or a series of motifs. In recent years a sort of spring-link -device has been developed so that the bracelet opens to slip over the -hand, then tightens to cling to the appropriate position on the arm. - - -_Favorite Shapes_ - -In either of these types, there are three popular shapes in which the -bracelet may be fashioned. It may be tapered, thin on the underside -of the wrist and wider on the back, which is of course the part most -prominently displayed. Gold or diamond bracelets lend themselves to this -form. More frequent is the straight bracelet, even all around the arm. -This may be of gold, diamonds, pearls, or other stones, in a single band -or in several rows that make a sort of cuff. The third popular variety is -a bracelet with a comparatively simple band crowned with a major motif, -centered, of course, on the upper side of the wrist. - - -_The Special Clasp_ - -This prominent center design may be utilized as the clasp of the -bracelet. A separate design for the clasp, indeed, may add considerably -to the beauty of the jewel. In fact, an attractive motif for concealing -the actual mechanism of the clasp affords one of the few opportunities -for making use of another jewel. A treasured brooch or ring, without -requiring the resetting of stones or the breaking up of the jewel, may be -incorporated into a bracelet as an ornamental clasp. The beautiful round -or oval Victorian brooches, the still charming baroque flower pins and -rings, lend themselves with exceptional readiness to this use. Such a -clasp, as a centerpiece, may grace a many-stranded pearl bracelet, or one -of gold chain or gold motifs. - - -_Bracelet Width_ - -The width of the bracelet should never exceed the width of the special -clasp. Too wide a band will dwarf the clasp and destroy its decorative -value. In this style of bracelet, the clasp is designed to be a dramatic -eye-catcher. - - -_For the Slim Arm_ - -If the wrist is small, the bracelet should be worn low on the arm. A -narrow gold or pearl bracelet will be most becoming. Too wide a band will -tend to make the hand seem bony. A slim arm will seem rounder with a -bracelet of slender chains set with small stones. - -A pleasantly slender wrist calls for a striking bracelet that will hold -the eye. It may be tight fitting with a motif on top. This will draw -attention to the attractive feature, in the same way that a beautiful -hand is enhanced by a dramatic ring. - -If the hand is short or if for any reason the nails are worn short, the -bracelet should be set somewhat higher on the arm. This will permit -the wrist to blend with the hand in such a way as to give an effect of -length, counteracting any stubbiness at the fingertips. - - -_For the Heavier Wrist_ - -A heavy wrist should be adorned with a chunky, three-dimensional -bracelet. Similarly, if the arm is heavy, the bracelet should be of a -bulky, built-out design. In general, the bulkier and the higher built -the bracelet, the smaller will seem the unit of wrist and hand. Wearing -the bracelet higher on the arm will draw the eyes upward away from the -wrist and tend to minimize any thickness. If the wristbone is prominent, -a plain bracelet should be avoided. Grace will be added by a bracelet -studded with bright stones. - - -_Fitting a Bracelet_ - -The stiff bangle bracelet must be fitted to the contour of the arm, so -that it will be comfortable and will stay in the proper place. Arms -have many subtle differences; their contours are variously pleasing, -according to the coordination of length, bone structure, thickness and -rounding curvature. The position of such a bracelet should be decided -when it is bought, and it should then be fitted to that place upon the -arm. It should be tight enough to prevent sliding or turning, yet not -tight enough to make the arm bulge on either side. The bracelet should be -carefully tested for its place, as it is difficult and costly to alter. - -If a bracelet is to be worn over the sleeve of a dress, again care must -be taken to see that it is loose enough to slide and to lie comfortably. -Neither a bracelet around the arm nor a belt around the waist should -seem too confining. Any tightness, as with the olden hour-glass corsets, -belongs below the surface. Trimness, not strain, is beauty’s accordant -sign. - - -_General Thoughts_ - -A bracelet should not be worn over a glove, unless the glove is to remain -on for the entire evening. - -Although gold as well as platinum may form the setting for a diamond -bracelet, a gold bracelet and a platinum one should not be worn together. - -Note that more than one bracelet (unless all are of very similar design) -is no more flattering a decoration than a single one. Several of much the -same sort may form a wide-banded unit; different designs will suggest -confusion and clash. - -As with other jewels, properly chosen bracelets can accentuate one’s -attractive features, and guide the eyes swiftly and unheedingly away from -less attractive ones. An appropriate and beautiful bracelet moves the -attention from the hand along the wrist, following the graceful movements -of the arm. - - -_The Anklet_ - -Anklets today are worn by exotic dancers and teenagers. In ancient times, -the anklet had two distinct uses. In iron, it was the sign and token of a -slave. As a jewel, it adorned a woman in her work-free hours, or a woman -whose sole work was to entertain her lord and master. For this purpose, -it might be of gold or of colored glass; often there dangled from the -band gold medallions that tinkled or bells that gaily chimed as the -wearer walked or moved in her dancing. - -The second type of anklet, in the western world today, is to be seen only -on the stage; even there, mainly in musical comedies with an Oriental -setting. But, perhaps to counterbalance the identification bracelets worn -by the young men called to the colors in the wars of this century, some -of the girls they left behind have taken to wearing “slave anklets.” -At first a sign of a promised waiting, these soon became a vogue, and -they are still worn by some young women without thought of any binding -attachment. - -The usual anklet is a thin chain of links of gold, but some are -interspersed with small pearls, and some have a colored stone set snug in -the band, near the anklebone at each side. They should not be worn in the -evening to any kind of formal affair and indeed should be discarded as -soon as the teenager has grown. - - - - -CHAPTER 9 - -_Pins, Brooches and Clips_ - - -To broach a cask of ale is to set the liquor flowing, to open the gates -of good will; but the broach (and it’s still pronounced that way even -when we spell it _brooch_) had as its purpose the closing and the holding -together of the dress. In its simplest form it was an awl or a bodkin, -used as a clasp or a fastener. Then came the pin with a hinge or spring -at one end and a catch or loop at the other. Such safety-pin brooches, or -_fibulae_, were common in ancient times; they were in use at least as far -back as 1000 B.C., and since the third century B.C. have been developed -as decorative jewels. The simple type—in the large size we call it a -“blanket pin”—is still used to hold together the wrap-around Scots kilt, -preserving the secret beneath. - - -_Elaborate Pins_ - -In medieval England the making of brooches developed as a fine art; -in Kent from the sixth to the tenth century, excellent examples were -made. They were mainly circulars of gold filigree adorned with garnets, -though other materials, from meerschaum to paste, were also set in fine -gold. However ornamental a brooch may be, it seldom quite forgets its -practical function of holding a garment together. Maria Theresa of -Austria, on state occasions, used an agraffe—a hook that caught in a -ring, as a clasp—in which was set the Florentine diamond, a great yellow -stone of over 137 carats. This was preserved in the Hofburg in Vienna -until the Second World War. Even more elaborate were the great brooches -the noblewomen of England wore in the decorative reign of Edward VII. -Sometimes called stomachers, these masses of metal overladen with stones -occupied the entire front of the dress. - - -_The Simpler Clip_ - -Fashion has returned us to a simpler style and released the dress -decoration from its functional requirement. In the 1920’s Cartier -replaced the hinged pin with a metal plate operated by a spring so that -counterpoints on its tip bite into the fabric. A jewel so fashioned we -call a clip. More recently, the metal plate has been replaced by two -parallel pins, making the clip still lighter and more versatile. Where -the weightier brooch would seem unbalanced or topheavy, the new clip may -be used as a pert or pertinent addition to a garment. - - -_Its Versatility_ - -And the clip is the most versatile of all jewels. Like the older brooch, -it may be used to close a dress, to hold a collar together or to gather -a scarf into attractive folds. It may be placed so as to accentuate any -desired part of a gown: at any point along a neckline, on a lapel, at -the side of a dress—usually the left side or at the waistline. It may be -combined with a necklace, as a fresh centerpiece or on the side—though -of course a large clip should not be set upon a thin chain. Some clips -are fashioned to slip onto a necklace and, by an easy adjustment, can -be made to slip onto a band of platinum or fitted on a diamond or pearl -necklace. - -[Illustration: 29. MRS. FREDERIC GIMBEL. _Mrs. Gimbel wears an ensemble -of gold, turquoise and diamond earclips, bracelets and ring. The -turquoises are selected to compliment her coloring and the distinctive -quality of her beauty._] - -[Illustration: 30. BELLFLOWER BROOCH AND EARCLIPS. _These pearl and -diamond jewels are designed so that the free-swinging pearls are in -constant movement. For different occasions and outfits, colored stones or -diamond drops may be substituted for the pearls._] - -[Illustration: 31. BRACELET AND ENGAGEMENT RING. _The simplicity of -the ring, an emerald-cut diamond flanked by two straight baguettes, -complements the elaborateness of the bracelet. The main swirl motif of -baguette and round diamonds is an excellent design for slimming a heavy -wrist. The center of the bracelet is removable and can be worn as a clip -on a necklace._] - -[Illustration: 32. DESIGN FOR A DIAMOND RING. _The lacy effect of the -ring at the left is achieved by a circle of marquise-cut diamonds which -appear to hold the round center diamond._] - -[Illustration: 33. DESIGN FOR A GOLD RING. _This ring of gold wires is -set with emeralds and small diamonds._] - -[Illustration: 34. DESIGN FOR A FORMAL DIAMOND AND PLATINUM BRACELET. _A -large marquise diamond links the two central crown motifs on each side of -which are two baguette ribbons._] - -[Illustration: 35. DIAMOND AND PEARL BRACELET. _This four-strand pearl -bracelet has, as a handsome center design, three columns of round -diamonds interrupted by baguettes and four columns paved with round -diamonds. From the collection of Mrs. Alfred L. Rose._] - -[Illustration: 36. DESIGN FOR A BRACELET. _A beautiful convertible jewel, -this continuous ribbon of baguette diamonds has three removable flower -motifs which can be worn as a set of pin and earclips or three clips. One -small flower motif forms the clasp._] - -[Illustration: 37. TREE OF LIFE. _A sculptured relief in 18 karat gold. -The fruits of the tree are here reproduced in round, facetted rubies, and -would be as effective in emeralds, sapphires or diamonds. As lapel pins, -they are handsome in pairs, the fruits in contrasting colors._] - -[Illustration: 38. DESIGN FOR A MULTI-PURPOSE JEWEL. _The detachable -center motif of this diamond bracelet can be worn as a clip either -separately or on the necklace formed by the side loops of the bracelet._] - -[Illustration: 39. AURORA BOREALIS. _The image of three overlapping -sunbursts, left, is created from platinum and diamonds, with rubies -accentuating the contour. Original owned by Mrs. Mischa Elman._] - -[Illustration: 40. FLOWER FANTASY. _An exquisite flower on a graceful -stem is wrought in platinum set with pearls and diamonds. A companion -piece for small diamond earclips._] - -[Illustration: 41. DIAMOND HAIR ORNAMENT. _Designed both as a dress clip -and a hair clip, the shape of this jewel suggests a wave in the hair. A -special device attaches it firmly to the hair._] - -[Illustration: 42. THREE-STRAND PEARL BRACELET. _A superb example of -a perfectly balanced relationship between clasp and bracelet. The -functional purpose of the clasp, which is slightly wider than the -bracelet, is hidden under the diamond ornament. A matching necklace could -have two of the same motifs on each side._] - -[Illustration: 43. MISS BLANCHE THEBOM. _Diamond jewelry provides -shimmering contrasts to Blanche Thebom’s dark brown hair. Van Cleef & -Arpels created the diamond serpent hair clips, dome ring and graceful bow -pin, as well as the bracelet and earclips worn by Miss Thebom._] - -[Illustration: 44. CANTERBURY BELL. _Two flowers of different sizes are -held together by ribbons of diamonds. A three-dimensional effect is -achieved by the built-up flower motifs. This clip can be separated into -two individual clips._] - -[Illustration: 45. GOLD SHELL FOR INFORMAL WEAR. _This three-dimensional -jewel of 18 karat gold is hand engraved in Florentine finish. The turned -over edge is paved with diamonds._] - -[Illustration: 46. FLOWER LAPEL BROOCH. _Long stemmed flowers of -emeralds, sapphires, rubies and diamonds in a bowl of 18 karat gold. A -delightful ornament for a bag, a hat or a scarf._] - -[Illustration: 47. MRS. TEX MC CRARY. _A poinsettia of diamonds without -visible support is worn by Jinx Falkenburg. As a whimsical touch, she -adds a diamond and emerald bell on her forehead. The design of her -flower-like earclips emphasizes the perfect oval of her face._] - -When a corsage of flowers takes attention at the heart of the dress, the -versatile clip may be transferred to the evening bag or worn at the cuff -of a sleeve. It may be used in ways beyond number, limited only by the -wearer’s chosen garments and tasteful imagination. - - -_Its Personality_ - -Since there is such freedom of choice in placing the clip, its position -is largely determined by the wearer’s personality. In the choice of the -clip itself, as I shall indicate shortly, there are only a few guiding -principles, and these are of a general nature. As a consequence, a clip -is a sort of identification badge. It says, not This is my name, but This -is my style. It should be chosen carefully with full regard to the fact -that the clip is the wearer’s personality on parade. - - -_The Change in the Brooch_ - -Until about 1920, while the brooch was mainly a clasp for the collar or -a fastener for the dress, the favorite form was a bar pin. This might be -of gold in various simple motifs, such as the bowknot; or it might be of -precious stones or pearls. Other popular designs were the crescent-moon -brooch, the circle brooch, the heart pin, and the four-leaf clover. - -At that time, there was likely to be but one dark party dress in the -wardrobe, and the laces and frills of the colorful gowns were beautiful -and sufficient adornments in themselves. Times have changed, and in most -closets cocktail and party dresses have multiplied. They have also grown -streamlined and simpler so that clips, with earclips and necklace, may be -added to give softness as well as variety to the outfit. - -Whatever the dress—unless it passes the limits into eccentricity—the part -of a woman’s outfit that attracts the most attention is her jewelry. -However stunning the dress, however striking the bag, however happy the -hat, eyes will return to and be held by the jewels—especially the jewel -displayed upon the dress. And the “little black dress” created by Mme. -Chanel is still the best background for a beautiful jewel. The simpler -the dress, the more will the beauty of the clip be artfully displayed. - - -_The Old Double Clip_ - -With the expansion of the brooch into the clip came a greater variety -of patterns. However, the bowknot continued popular, along with the -fleur-de-lis and other flower designs. Many of these are still being -used, with newly designed settings incorporating baguette diamonds and -variously shaped stones. In the 1920’s there was a wide vogue of a flat, -geometrical double clip. The two parts were symmetrical, so that their -balance today seems obvious and without art. - -It is interesting to reflect at this point that many older patterns, -motifs, designs, still seem beautiful in our eyes. There is a charm in -many of the Victorian jewels, a lasting beauty in the baroque. In the -generation just before us, however, sculpture, architecture, interior -decorating, jewelry, all seem to have suffered from a lapse of artistry -and taste. Is this another sign of the eternal rebellion of the children -against the parents? Must every past style seem antic before it becomes -antique? In any event, the old two-part double clip should either be -left in the treasure chest for another fifty years or taken to the -jeweler to be remodelled. - - -_The New Double Clip_ - -The possibilities of the double clip, however, are too great to be -abandoned. The flat symmetrical two-part clip has been supplanted by a -more dynamic, three-dimensional variety which when used as a unit gives -no indication that it is a double clip. The two separate clips are so -made that they intricately but intimately conjoin into one unit, a -striking jewel. - -Separated, the two clips become two different jewels, of different sizes -and possibly even different designs, though of course harmonious. Each -remains a sculptured piece; that is, it has a three-dimensional quality. -The two may be worn on different occasions. The smaller might well become -a suit, the larger adorn a dress. Or the two, used at the same time -but not fused, might make attractive parts of a parure on more formal -occasions. On a square neckline, the two different clips may be so used -as to create a different yet balanced charm. Or one may give a fresh -touch to the hat, or grace the bag, while the other is worn on the dress. -By repeating a design in two sizes, or presenting two harmonious motifs, -the double clip increases the potentialities of the jewel for variety in -beauty, while as a unit it creates a striking effect of individuality and -power. - - -_The Abstract Design_ - -Today, in brooches and clips, two basic patterns are in favor: the -ornamental, abstract design, and the flower motif. The woman who likes -tailored jewelry will inevitably be drawn to the more geometrical -designs. While these may at times be shapes of deep yellow or varicolored -gold, they will usually be achieved with the aid of shimmering bands of -baguette diamonds, contrasted with round diamonds and colored stones. -Without regard to the loss of weight from uncut stone, jewelers are now -shaping diamonds in many fancy cuts—which only the most flawless gems can -sustain—for the sake of the pattern of the entire jewel. - -The potentialities of the abstract design are far from being exhausted, -and a jeweler who is a genuine artist has here a fertile field. If a -woman has selected a jeweler as carefully as she has chosen her coiffeur, -and finding him good has continued to seek his counsel, he should be able -to suggest or to create a clip that will both express and illuminate her -personality. - -Several general designs lend themselves to personal variations. Among -these, I recommend a clip with baguette tassels from which pear-shaped -diamonds are suspended. There are also attractive tailored-looking pins -of a feather design, which, in gold or platinum, are effective on many -occasions. Various loops and bows can be ingeniously intertwined. Among -completely abstract clip designs are some like lacy seaweeds. Others will -suggest themselves and may be fashioned to suit every occasion and taste. - - -_The Flower Design_ - -Less novel than the abstract designs but perhaps more lasting in its -effect of peaceful beauty is the flower clip. Since the development of -photography, few artists have tried to make exact copies of nature. -Those who wish to see exact reproductions of flowers in glass may go to -the Harvard Museum in Cambridge. The artist in jewelry seeks to suggest -the essence of the flower, its shape, its color, the softness of its -petals. (An astute woman may select her perfume to suggest the flower’s -fragrance.) Today even such hard metals as platinum or palladium may be -so handled as to convey the delicacy of the bloom. - - -_Earlier Flowers_ - -The flower motif, in ring or brooch or other adornment, has been a -favorite in many periods. Some of the designs have persisted; others have -grown simpler or more elaborate according to the vogue. But in the past -few centuries, there have been few jewelers who have not had in work or -on display some flower brooches or clips of precious stones. - -Among the frequently displayed flowers is the open-petaled pansy, which -our grandmothers wore in various colors of enamel, but which is now -patterned in stones. Also to be seen is the tiny forget-me-not. The lily -of the valley rises on its delicate stem. The water lily seems almost -still afloat. Carnations and asters more boldly flaunt their patterns. -The daisy, that earlier was often fashioned with white enamel petals and -a central stone, may now be suggested wholly by baguette diamonds. - -More elaborate flowers and flower clusters were once frequent, building -into nosegays of gems. Perhaps the most spectacular of these is the -famous Flower Jewel bestowed by the Herzog von Lothringen upon his wife, -Empress Maria Theresa of Austria. Now to be seen in the Museum of Natural -History in Vienna, this historic piece is both a fine example of the -jeweler’s art and a demonstration for the science of gemology: among -its thousands of carats of gems—diamonds, rubies, emeralds, sapphires, -pearls—may be counted every existing variety of precious and semiprecious -stones. - - -_Current Varieties_ - -A flower is to jewelers as a landscape is to painters; each may look -upon the same prospect and produce a different work. Some may fashion -a comparatively naturalistic blossom, or a clip of several flowers of -different sizes. For these, colored stones will reproduce the color of -the flower. Others may work in a more stylized fashion, merely suggesting -the flower shape or framing it into a formal pattern, as in the -decorations of ancient columns and walls. Some of these, indeed, approach -the manner of the abstract design. - -Where the flower is suggested rather than caught in its own colors, -diamonds in fancy cut may be used for the petals with the leaves -fashioned of baguettes. The center may be a blue-white diamond, a colored -stone, or—most strikingly—a black pearl. Some such flowers have been made -with a central stone that is removable, so that various gems of different -color may produce startlingly different effects with the same basic -floral jewel. From the surrounding petals and leaves of diamonds, it is -surprising how varyingly new center stones can shine. - - -_The Rose_ - -The most outstanding of all flower motifs, both in number and in variety -of presentation, is the queen of flowers, the rose. As it ranges far -beyond all other flowers in colors and species, so it lends itself to -a multiplicity of treatments in jewels. Roses have been made all of -diamonds, white or colored; they have been shaped of rubies, of coral, -of ivory and of all the precious metals. Notable is a rose clip in which -the diamond blossom rises from leaves of baguettes. For simpler costumes, -the leaves can be removed and the flower used alone to adorn a neckline -or accentuate the lapel of a suit. Together, the leaves and the flower -present a corsage that challenges and outlasts any beauty the florist can -supply. - - -_The Skinpin_ - -Gathering favor, but still sufficiently unfamiliar to be as distinctive -as it is attractive, is the skinpin. This ornament is a jewel that, by a -secret method of my own devising, may be safely and securely worn on the -bare skin. A piquant jewel, it belongs most harmoniously with the low-cut -evening gown. Then, on the bare skin above the dress, the colored gems or -the diamonds are a truly striking display, their brilliance heightened -by the background of the fine texture of the flesh. For more challenging -effects, a butterfly or other appropriate motif on the back or the -shoulderblades will enhance and accentuate the beauty of the lines. Those -who know and enjoy the values of fine jewelry tastefully disposed will do -well to investigate the range of uses of the skinpin. - - -_The Scatterpin_ - -For the lapel, or in general for casual wear, many pins have been -especially designed. These are frequently shaped in the form of birds, -ladybugs, or other insects, as butterflies or as leaves. They may be made -of enamel, or coral, or semiprecious stones. Their main purpose is to add -a touch of color and for traveling or for informal occasions they may -indeed enliven a costume. - - -_The Jewelled Hairpin_ - -A most charming effect can be produced by attaching to the clip a simple -device that enables it to be worn in the hair. This use is gaining in -popularity, and deserves even greater spread, for it is hard to imagine -a more beautiful background for a jewel than the well groomed coiffure -which is the pride and the prime natural adornment of the American woman. -Several single flowers, daisies, forget-me-nots and the like, may in the -hair create a youthful and feminine decoration. The jewels should of -course be concordant with the hair. Diamonds are most becoming in dark -hair. Red hair will be even more striking with sapphires; dark blondes -will gleam with emeralds; light blondes will shimmer in fine contrast -with rubies. - -Empress Elisabeth of Austria knew the attractiveness gained by the -adorning of beautiful hair. Her favorite design was the star, and in her -hair she set many brilliant stars, each with a quivering center that -constantly shot forth intriguing, mysterious light. - - -_The Mobile Clip_ - -The technical creation of the mobile center was long a well-guarded -secret. It has now been variously recaptured, and clips may have their -beauty enhanced, when it is appropriate, with a vibratory motion. The -natural movements of the body, even the soft rise and fall of the bosom -as one takes breath, suffice to make the tiny stems quiver and the gems -at their tips give ever fresh play of light. - -Thus a delicate wire may lift a deep red ruby as the stamen of a flower, -alive in its motion and varying gleam. Or a diamond on a quivering -stem may seem to dance with airiness and light. A spread of platinum -angel-fern may move its delicate fronds; a sprig of heather in fine -metal and stone vibrate with the lilt of the Highlands. The many ways -in which the mobile clip can add life to one’s wardrobe are beyond -enumeration; all are at once eye-catching and continuously alluring. - - -_The Sentimental Brooch_ - -More than all other jewels, the pin and the brooch have attached to -themselves sentimental associations and values beyond their intrinsic or -artistic worth. A ring may often preserve the memory of a dear person -or a cherished occasion, but it is seldom large enough for an actual -memento. Anne Boleyn, wife of Henry VIII of England, had a portrait of -herself hidden in a ring of diamonds and mother-of-pearl; when she was -taken to be executed she gave the ring to her little daughter, who in -turn kept it hidden until she ascended the throne as Queen Elizabeth I. -But more often such miniatures, set in what was called a picture-box, -were worn on a chain or as a brooch. The clip is still too new to have -developed these sentimental associations but, being merely a brooch with -a modernized fastener, it will no doubt gather to itself a goodly store -of memories. - -In addition to a miniature portrait or a painting of a familiar scene, -such as the country home of one held to a life in the city, the brooch -may contain other ties to things beloved. Under a transparent stone -or coat of colorless enamel may be pressed a lock of hair. The jewel -itself may be shaped so as to symbolize a family—as a coat of arms; or -a people—as the maple leaf worn by Queen Elizabeth II, a gift from and -a symbol of the Commonwealth of Canada. The lady who launches a ship -receives, from the builders or the owners, a diamond pin that is indeed, -to her and those that come after her, a precious memento of a signal -occasion. - - -_Replicas of Pets_ - -Popular among the special brooches with personal ties are those that -represent or memorialize a beloved pet. I have made several portraits of -dogs in gold and precious stones, worked so as not merely to resemble the -features but in some degree to capture the individual characteristics of -the animal. One of these I especially prize, as it evokes, to me and to -my family and friends, my own and favorite dog. - -In Vienna, our firm was once commissioned by the Emperor Franz Josef -I to create a brooch bearing the likeness of one of his great beloved -Lippizaner stallions, the one that is immortalized in the novel -_Florian_. This pin contains hundreds of diamonds; those that make up -the mane and the tail had to be specially cut and are so small that it -takes more than a thousand to make a carat. The Emperor prized the jewel -and gave it to his favorite actress, the Baroness von Schratt. After the -Baroness’s death, her treasures were sold, and we are happy to state that -the jewel horse is now back with the firm that made it. - - -_Pins Hold Memories_ - -Perhaps because of these various associations, it seems that a more -personal aura glows about a brooch than any other jewel. It may be -merely because a loved one has worn it earlier. A sort of intimate, -binding emotion draws one to the jewel, such as no article of clothing, -no accessory—scarf, gloves, hair band—can ever work into a spell. Other -jewels, especially the ring, may gather associations around them, but -preeminently heart-entangling is the brooch. - -My grandmother, for instance, on many gay occasions when I was a child, -wore high on her collar a beautiful emerald brooch. Long passed from -sight and never spoken of, it finally came to me as a family heirloom. -And at once my heart quickened with a fresh surge of memory. I had, and -still have, a vivid recollection of how she looked when she was wearing -it, and many a pleasant time I summon back. I cherish this brooch more -and more along the passing years. Thus in many families a treasured and -memoried pin holds as a binder between the generations. In these days of -widely scattered families, such a brooch can indeed be an endearing tie. - - -_Practical Principles_ - -As I have said, there are just a few general thoughts to be kept in mind -when selecting a brooch or clip. - -The gold clip is admirable for daytime use. Until a few years ago, this -might be quite a solid, heavy-looking jewel. Today it is light, even -lacy; often it is made of fine wires, perhaps twisted or stranded, and -intricately worked, like similar jewels of the Renaissance. The jewel -itself may be large, but the light and lacy effect will maintain its -charm. - -When a clip, in the hair or on the dress, is worn with earclips, it need -not be the same as these, but it should be of the same material and of -course should harmonize. Usually the earclips set the pattern, because -they must be carefully chosen to fit the features; the greater freedom -of choice with the clip permits one to select many attractive designs -that will conform. If the earclips are of rubies or of emeralds, the clip -should be the same. Only the diamond will consort with any other stone. - -So far as balancing the brooch to the build is concerned, the principles -are very simple. A woman with a heavy figure should avoid small and -delicate clips and select large ornamental designs. A woman of slighter -frame should wear small clips. A brooch pinned high on the bodice will -seem to give the wearer added height. - -More than other jewels, the clip presents the personality. It challenges -the attention and invites the judgment. If it is well chosen, so that -it truly establishes the wearer’s nature and taste, it may be worn with -confidence and pride. - - - - -CHAPTER 10 - -_Watches_ - - -_Queen Elizabeth I_ - -The watch was an article of utility that became an article of fashion, -hence was woven into a jewel. Queen Elizabeth I of England owned more -than two dozen watches, some dangling from her girdle, one at her wrist. -Four of them were gifts from one courtier, the Earl of Leicester. All -were elaborately designed in various shapes, with cameos or many jewels. -They were changed according to the costume. The Queen had a special page -whose duty it was to wind them. - - -_Princess Sophia_ - -Even more watches were in the possession of Sophia Dorothea of -Brunswig-Lüneberg, though she came to have little need of them. The wife -of the Crown Prince of Hanover, she became involved in intrigue and -was accused of a liaison with a Swedish nobleman; she saw her marriage -annulled, then spent thirty-two years in prison. Her released husband -became George I of England; her son, George II; her grandson (through a -second Sophia Dorothea), Frederick the Great of Prussia. In the heyday of -her beauty and gaiety at the Hanoverian court, Princess Sophia possessed -over fifty watches, many of their cases made of a single large stone, -such as a lapis lazuli or an onyx. - - -_Early Forms_ - -Because the early watches were in the main large and ugly, handsome -cases were designed for them. As each watch was made individually, a -painstaking jeweler could create a smaller instrument, such as the -bracelet watch. Mme. de Pompadour wore a watch in a gold finger ring, set -round with diamonds. - -Watches were also made with extra devices. Some, at a time set in -advance, would ring an alarm. Some would when pressed chime to reveal the -present hour. In all these early watches, accuracy was not the goal. In -fact, it was not until about 1680 that most watches were equipped with a -minute hand; before that, one pointer marked the passage of the hours. - -These watches were worn, by gallant gentlemen, less for checking their -business, of which they had little, than for adding to their finery, of -which they had much. The time they could spare from the adornment of -their persons they devoted to the neglect of their duties. Often indeed -there was a watch at each end of the chain, and both might be taken out -at the same time, with ostentatious comparing of their accuracy. William -Cowper in eighteenth-century England neatly pinned such gallants: - - An idler is a watch that wants both hands, - As useless when it goes as when it stands. - -And the Earl of Chesterfield, prince of etiquette in his day, admonished -his son: “Wear your learning, like your watch, in a private pocket; and -do not pull it out and strike it, merely to show that you have one.” -Gradually, as businessmen saw the usefulness of the watch in marking -time for engagements, the accuracy of the instrument increased, and with -that the frequency of its use. - - -_Where to Wear the Watch_ - -For practical purposes today, the wrist watch is almost universal. -The watch on the wrist of Queen Elizabeth I of England dangled from a -bracelet; the watch _in_ the bracelet is a distinctive development of our -own time. Railroad men and some others still prefer the larger pocket -watch, but the accuracy of the good wrist watch suffices for all save the -finest scientific measurements of time. That the timepiece, nevertheless, -remains partly a fad and a fashion is made clear by the many less -practical ways in which it is mounted. Watches have been designed in -rings, on cuff links, buttons, heads of canes; on knives, notebooks, -lipsticks—Time for a fresh application!—on cigarette cases and lighters, -wallets, ladies’ garters—Time! - -Sometimes, especially for more formal wear, the pocket watch is still -worn, not with a chain but with a fob. In the vest, or in the right front -“of the waistband of the breeches,” is a special pocket for the watch. -To the watch is attached a black ribbon that hangs out and forms the -background for a medal, a seal, or other jewel. - -Oliver Cromwell wore a watch fob. This method of wearing a watch was -especially fashionable—in spite of the notice the fob gives to a -pickpocket—from about 1875 until 1914, when the World War popularized the -wrist watch. Fifty years ago, every college Senior wore a fob with his -school’s coat-of-arms and his class. The fob is still affected by certain -clubmen, bearing the jeweled insignia of the club. - -A recent chronometrical development for the fairer sex is the watchclip. -This jewel possesses all the versatility of the clip itself, with the -added usefulness of the timepiece. The watch face can of course be -cunningly hidden, in the heart of a flower, or as an element of an -abstract design. It may be worn on a low neckline, at a lapel, at the -cuff, or even on a bracelet. - -For a woman during business hours, or at golf, there is good reason for -wearing a watch. The wrist watch is the best. For sports, a plain leather -band should hold a simple watch. At business, a simple band or gold chain -is appropriate; the watch itself may be encased with small diamonds. It -should be attractive, but not call attention to itself. - -For general day wear a gold bracelet made of flexible links is -attractive, worn with the face of the watch open or—for more formal -occasions—concealed. This may be made softer by the addition of gems or -other stones, but bright-colored stones should be used only if the dial -is hidden. - -The functional appearance of the watch is further softened in an -attractive new style, which combines the watch with a gold fringe -bracelet. The fringe draws the eye artfully away from the timepiece. - - -_Jewelled Hours_ - -During social hours, however, one should be more regardless of time. It -seems almost an affront, by wearing a clearly functional wrist watch, -to let your hostess know you are measuring the time you grant her. At -theatre, at evening parties, a woman should at least seem not to care how -the time flits by. Indeed, there is on such occasions no need for her to -wear a watch at all. - -Should she, for reasons of fashion or custom, or for other personal -reasons, desire to wear a watch, its functional aspects should be -minimized by adornment, if not wholly concealed in a jewel. For this -purpose, effective eye-catching bracelets can be devised of diamonds or -diamonds and pearls. To the beauty of the modern watches, the Swiss firm -of Gubelin Frères has contributed a great deal. This firm, probably more -than any other famous Swiss craftsmen, has succeeded in making the watch -a masterpiece of design and beauty. Gubelin added to the improvement of -the mechanical performance of the modern watch high artistic value. - -There are beautiful flower brooches in the heart of which hides a watch. -There are pendants, for a loose necklace or a brooch, the bottom of which -is the watch face. In greater variety, the wrist watch can be fashioned -into a gem-studded beauty, as in the $20,000 diamond bracelet watch sent -by jewelers of Geneva to Elizabeth II of England on her wedding day. - -Three parts of the wrist watch may be distinguished for purposes of -adornment. First the bracelet as a whole may be an attractive jewel. -It may be of plain or of twisted gold; or it may be a circle of small -diamonds or other stones. In still other ways, the entire band may be -ornamented, with the watch drawn into the unity of the jewel design. -Secondly, the main circle of the band may be of plain gold, with the -ornamentation beginning where the bracelet meets the watch. For an inch -or so on either side of the watch, the band may widen in a swirl of domed -gold wire, or some other modern patterns; or the band may there be set -with diamonds, baguette or marquise. Finally, there is the watch itself, -which may be circled or otherwise encased in diamonds. The design of the -bracelet, however, may almost wholly conceal the watch. Some settings -have been made in which a large stone covers the watch face, and must be -lifted to reveal the time. - -The wrist watch, for practical reasons, should not be worn on the handbag -arm; the winding crown may be jarred or broken. For both practical and -aesthetic reasons, it should not be worn with other bracelets. The glass -may be jarred off. And while the watch bracelet may look attractive -alone, the presence of other jewels makes its utilitarian function -over-prominent. The wrist watch should be serviceable, but beautiful. - -In any case, a watch is at best an interloper, if not a downright -intruder, in moments of feminine finery. Permitting a woman to espy the -hour when she should not be so concerned, the watch—like all spies—should -be as much as possible unnoticed and unknown. If it be worn, it should -not be as a watch but as an integral part of a jewel. - - -_In Front of Your Mirror_ - -A wise woman knows the importance of her jewels and does not squander -them in overlavish display. The “principle of parsimony” applies here -as elsewhere: unless there be an overriding reason for elaboration, the -simplest means are the best. Jewels may, as we have seen, be beautiful -on many parts of the body—but not on all of them at once. Each occasion, -each costume, calls for separate consideration and individual selection -of jewels. - -It is not vanity, but common sense, for a woman to spend time before a -mirror, making her own acquaintance, becoming familiar with her qualities -and with the values brought out by various arrangements of her jewels. -Only by such a process, renewed frequently through the years (as jewels -and features alter), can a woman command the full power of her treasure -chest as a true ally to her own beauty. - -Daniel Webster, looking at the great stone face of the “Old Man of the -Mountain,” observed: “Men hang out their signs indicative of their -respective trades: shoemakers hang out a gigantic shoe; jewelers, a -monster watch ... but up in the mountains of New Hampshire, God Almighty -has hung out a sign to show that here He makes men.” And let them not mar -themselves, Shakespeare reminds us, including the fair sex of the human -kind. And a woman, whose sign is beauty, keeps a “monster watch” over her -harmony in her jewels. Decorum and decoration, hand in hand, lead her to -the fullest capture of the values with which nature has endowed her and -which she has helped to foster, feed and bring to flower. - - - - -PART THREE - -_The Etiquette of Wearing Jewels_ - - - - -CHAPTER 11 - -_The Etiquette of Wearing Jewels_ - - -The emphasis on “casual living,” in our day, does not destroy the need -for more formal occasions. On the contrary, indeed, the woman who -has been informal in various types of summer apparel may feel even -more thrilled at the opportunity to put on an evening gown, with the -appropriate jewelry. And what jewelry, she may well ask, should be worn -in more relaxed and casual hours? - -Misery, they say—or at least Shakespeare said—acquaints a man with -strange bedfellows; and democracy acquaints a woman with strange -costumes. The variety of “casual clothes” is limited only by the panorama -of color and the ingenuity of the designer. Yet, whatever garments a -woman may have chosen to put on, the probability is that she will wish to -add to their harmony the grace notes of a jewel. - -Informal clothes are usually worn for informal hours, which naturally -call for a touch of ornament. Festive occasions even more strongly -suggest the glamour of jewels. Yet in no field are women more at a loss -than in the etiquette of jewelry. Few need to inquire about the proper -combinations of outfits and accessories. It is unnecessary to caution the -young girl, putting on her first evening gown, that she must not wear -her sport shoes. No more need her mother be told not to serve canapés -wearing the kitchen apron she put on while preparing them. But when it -comes to jewelry, to selecting the jewels that are appropriate to the -occasion, most women have only the haziest idea. Yet if they discover -that they are not adorned in keeping with the function, their day is -clouded. - - -_En Route_ - -In traveling, by plane or even by train for a weekend in the country, -only tailored jewelry should be worn. Large diamond pieces are definitely -out of bounds, even in the subdued hum of a dining car. I repeat that the -one exception, now and forever, is the combination of the engagement ring -and the wedding ring. This is always as appropriate as pleasant. - - -_Country Weekend_ - -If the journey takes a woman to be a guest for the weekend, it is wise -for her to ascertain her hostess’s plans. While there may be in store -a restful time of relaxation, when one may make oneself at home and do -as one wishes, it may also be that the hostess has made certain plans. -She may have invited friends for a cocktail party, or a garden party, to -meet the visitor. There may even be a formal dinner party in prospect, in -honor of the guest—who must, of course, be prepared with clothes and with -jewelry to match the occasion, and do her hostess justice. - - -_The Garden Party_ - -Given in the summer, usually out of the city, a garden party is a -lighthearted affair. Short dinner gowns, colorful cocktail dresses or -separates are best enhanced by jewels of light texture. Jewelry of -twisted gold wire conveys this effect; or the gold wire used as setting -for diamond or pearls. Like the flowers in colorful profusion around, -jewels with stones of different colors are in good taste, providing -of course that the colors are in harmony. An all-white costume will -not do justice to diamonds; if a woman looks attractive in white, she -should wear with it colored stones or pearls. Sapphires, however, may be -combined with diamonds, most pleasantly with a fair complexion; on a dark -beauty there should be rubies and diamonds set in gold. - -A sense of lightness, even of airy delicacy, should be maintained in the -adornment. One’s richest array of jewels should not be worn. - - -_At the Beach_ - -If the weekend is at a resort, or includes a trip to the water, another -sort of jewelry comes to mind. - -Sunbacks, sports dresses, slacks, accord better with tailored gold than -with diamonds. Massive gold bracelets with charms may be attractive; -but they should be balanced by simpler earclips of the same metal. Hoop -earrings may be worn, if not too large. Large hoop earrings should dangle -only from the ears of an exotic dancer. - -On the beach precious stones will seem pretentious. Besides, jewels -should not be subjected to the multiplex dangers of surf and sand. A -bathing suit leaves the body largely to be its own ornament, but may -be charmingly enhanced by such accessories as straw flowers, plastic -ornaments, ivory seahorses and colored seashells. - - -_On the Golf Course_ - -On the golf course, whatever a woman’s score for the eighteen holes, she -wants her jewelry to be at par. Diamonds, of course, are not even for -duffers. A golfer may well be wearing a tailored sports ensemble, which -means that gold jewelry is in good taste. It should preferably be small, -however, especially in a mixed foursome, so as to keep the adornment -secondary to the game. It should be smart while seemingly functional. -There may be a neat gold monogram pin on the blouse, tailored gold -earclips, even a fairly heavy gold pinkie ring. No bracelet, to interfere -with or jingle during the swing. Crossed golf clubs might make a gold -brooch. Gold pins may be designed to hold the tees. A gold pin usually -sheds its glow upon the complexion; and it adds highlights to the sports -costume. - -A simple gold wrist watch on a leather strap is serviceable, unobtrusive, -and in quiet good taste. - - -_At the Races_ - -A visit to the race track becomes a special event when it includes the -Kentucky Derby, the French Grand Prix or Ascot. Hats and gowns are -often bought especially for these events; they should be accompanied by -accordant jewelry. Here a woman may display her most colorful jewels. -Rubies and sapphires will be resplendent, but colored stones of all sorts -will brighten the scene. A pearl necklace may be becomingly worn. Long -earrings, however, and diamond necklaces should be reserved for the -party that will follow the race. Particularly if the wearer’s horse has -won. - -If a horse of one’s own is entered in the race, this may be made a part -of the design of the jewels. An imposing pin may be set with precious -stones in the colors of the stable. Or the horse itself may be designed -in diamonds; such a jewel can be worn proudly even away from the turf. - -I once designed a beautiful set of jewelry for the Duchess of S——, whose -stable colors were yellow, blue, and white. Whenever one of her horses -ran, she wore this parure, brooch, bracelet and earclips of canary -diamonds, white diamonds, and sapphires from Kashmir. She told me that -invariably her horses won. “Once,” she said, “I forgot to put on the -jewelry, and my horse finished out of the money.” - -Whether she has a horse, or wins her bets, or not, every woman that wears -beautiful and appropriate jewelry has good luck. - - -_Business Luncheons_ - -There are occasions when a business woman must pay special attention to -her jewels. She must seek to convey the impression of dignity and good -sense and avoid the frivolous. - -At a business luncheon, whether it consists of two persons or a small -group, the business to be transacted is of less immediate significance -than the friendly spirit of good will the occasion should engender. A -woman—with her sex still not wholly accepted as on a par with men in -the business world, especially in what are referred to as the upper -echelons—must feel at ease, and create a good impression. This is made -easier by her knowledge that she is pleasant to look upon, impeccably -dressed and adorned. Simple jewelry is best, with gold plainly visible -though not oversize. A simple necklace of pearls is highly appropriate, -with not more than one precious stone upon the hands. - - -_The Charity Luncheon_ - -At least once in every year the woman who does not work—along with -many who do—may be called upon to attend a charity luncheon. The woman -attending such a luncheon may be grouped at table with her close friends, -but she will meet or at least be seen by many others. The occasion, -therefore, calls for a degree of elegance. The jewels should be well -matched; pearls are to be preferred. - -If a woman possesses a distinctive jewel, one that might be considered a -conversation piece, this is the occasion for wearing it. Especially is -this true if the entire table is not taken by close friends. There should -be no such display of diamonds as to make distinctions invidious; but a -well-designed jewel or an attractive parure offers a pleasant opening for -conversation, and mutual interest in conversation makes for friendly ease -among strangers at the table. - - -_Opening Night_ - -Opening nights at the theatre are always gala occasions. A premiere of a -great ballet company is perhaps even more festive. Most elegant of all is -the first night at the horse show, or the opening of the season at the -opera. For such events, one appears in one’s most elaborate jewels. - -The more festive the occasion, unfortunately, the greater the opportunity -for faux pas. Cartoons of the “Keeping Up With the Joneses” variety often -show a woman who does not distinguish between wearing the best jewelry -and wearing the most. An observant eye at the openings will note that -such caricatures have their counterparts in real life. - -Every woman of taste—regardless of wealth or social status—is a collector -of jewelry. Whether the pieces she has gathered be costume jewels or -precious ones, each woman who knows the importance of appearance has her -treasure chest. And those who can afford individual workmanship, and -jewels constructed in personal design, select their jeweler at least as -carefully as their decorator or their milliner. - - -_Matching the Gown_ - -Among the treasures of her jewel chest, the woman will select with a -discerning eye. If she is to wear a new gown made for the opening, it is -well to try the jewels on, with the gown, in advance. If she finds that -a necklace with a pendant, or pendant parts, graces the décolletage, -even the most beautiful pendant earclips should not tempt her to wear -them. Such earclips are probably adjustable so that the pendants can be -removed, and the upper motifs worn to grace the ear lobes. On the other -hand, if a tiara is in the cherished jewel collection, it may now be -taken forth and worn. Then a brilliant clip may be set directly on the -shoulder, above the décolletage. This skinpin admirably breaks the long -line from tiara to décolleté gown. If the evening gown is embroidered, -however, the clip should be left in the box. The various possible -combinations should be tried, and examined carefully in the mirror, -before the outfit is complete. - - -_Matching the Man_ - -An opening night is one of the few occasions, in our increasingly -informal times, when the gentleman will embrace the opportunity to -blossom forth in evening clothes, with white tie. The opera opening -recalls the olden grandeur; the diamond horseshoe of boxes still deserves -the name, for accompanying the gentleman in his most formal attire comes -the lady in her most glamorous jewels. These are unquestionably diamonds. - - -_Some Basic Rules_ - -If no tiara is worn, diamonds may be used as ornaments in the hair, as -earclips, as necklaces, as bracelets. While the diamond is the basic gem -in the jewelry, other precious stones may accompany it, such as rubies, -emeralds and sapphires. They may be set around a large central diamond; -or they may be the center stones, with smaller diamonds of different -shapes set around—so that the brilliance of the one and the deep color of -the other will interact in a fireplay of beauty. Of course, the stones -must be of a color that will harmonize with the gown—in all likelihood, -the gown was ordered to harmonize with the chosen gems. - -It must be repeated that elaborate jewelry does not mean a quantity of -jewels. One brooch, which may be a large rose, will suffice; she may have -other beautiful bracelets, but the discriminating woman will wear just -one, which has been carefully made or chosen for the shape and size of -her arm, to stay precisely where its beauty will most enhance her lines. - -The diamond bracelet should not be worn over gloves, unless these are not -removed for the entire evening. A two-piece evening glove is available, -the hand of which may be doffed, so that the remainder becomes a long -sleeve over which the bracelet is worn. Women whose arms taper sharply to -the wrist may find that such a glove helps to maintain the bracelet at -the proper place on the arm. - -A diamond clip should not be worn on a fur coat, jacket, or stole. For -then either it is put aside, hanging over the back of the chair at a -restaurant or in a closet at a private home, or when the coat is taken -off the clip must be removed and reattached to the gown. One seems -ostentatious disregard; the other, ostentatious concern. - -A proper decision as to what to wear and what to leave at home helps make -the occasion of an opening a source of memorable satisfaction. - - -_The Dinner Party_ - -Such a gathering usually brings together a significant part of one’s -personal world. Well chosen jewelry will confirm a woman’s standing in -that community, and it will be a source of gratification to her husband -and to her hosts if she is tastefully adorned. Wearing one’s best jewelry -and finest gown is a gracious way of paying tribute to one’s hostess, as -well as doing one’s duty as a guest, to help make the party a success. - -At the dinner party a parure, a matching ensemble, is quite attractive. -At the opera the more elaborate jewels can be enjoyed from farther -away; by most, any one person’s jewels are seen but for a glance or at -a distance. But here, there is opportunity to observe the matching of -stones or of the balanced jewels in a parure. While one jewel may contain -stones of various colors, there should not be such variety from jewel to -jewel; to be avoided, for example, are such combinations as a sapphire -bracelet with a ruby brooch or an emerald necklace with a turquoise -bracelet. And the colors of the jewels, as always, must harmonize with -one’s gown and one’s complexion. - - -_The Watch_ - -No woman should wear a leather strap for a wrist watch with an evening -gown. It would completely break the spell of elegance. If no watch with -matched strap of bejewelled metal is in the treasure chest, the watch -should be kept at home or—for sheer utility—in the purse. The watch for -evening wear has its functional aspects concealed. Its face is almost -hidden in precious stones, or may be so encased that the jewel must be -opened. It is worn less as a timepiece than as a bracelet, or perhaps a -brooch. - - -_The Cigarette Case_ - -One intrusion on the elegance of a formal dinner is the too frequent -practice by men of offering a lady in evening gown a cigarette from a -crumpled paper package. One might as well offer candy from a subway -stand in its paper container. The hostess has not proffered her food -from the grocery bag. It is expected that the food will be attractively -served; when a dish is a delight to the eye, it is more delectable upon -the palate. Similarly a cigarette should be taken from a case that has -aesthetic qualities. - - -_The Hostess_ - -The hostess at a formal dinner has of course greater responsibility than -her guests. She should make quite clear the degree of formality intended, -to prevent the bother and the embarrassment of calls to learn what sort -of clothes one should wear. Beyond that, the hostess should be aware, in -at least a general way, of what jewelry her guests can afford and are -likely to wear, and adorn herself within that range. Above all, she must -be sure not to wear more elaborate jewelry than her most important guest. -The considerate hostess will be in good taste, inconspicuous, content -to have her guests admired. The successful party is that at which the -hostess is most unobtrusive, until everyone realizes what a good time she -has made it possible for them to have. - -The one exception to this is an occasion at which the party is really -given by the host, to mark an event important in the hostess’s life, -such as a birthday or an anniversary or other time when her husband may -wish to present her with a jeweled token. Then, for the special part of -the evening, she may properly be the focus of attention, the sparkling -cynosure of friendly eyes. But after “For she’s a jolly good fellow!” has -been duly sung, the hostess should gracefully and unobtrusively become -once more the catalyst of the evening, the aid in producing the desired -reaction among the various elements. In recognition of her husband’s love -and thoughtfulness, she should of course have him put upon her the newly -given jewel. - - -_At the White House_ - -There are various occasions on which one may be privileged to be invited -to the White House. For all of them, a woman must remember, in selecting -her dress and jewels, that she is a living symbol of her own or her -husband’s significance. Again, her jewels must be unostentatious, but -befitting dignity and position. - -For a White House luncheon, the neckline will not be low, hence no -elaborate necklace will be worn. Gold should be seen on the jewels, -accented with a few diamonds. Pearls with diamonds are also effectively -in place. Always there is distinction, as I have said, in one earclip -with a black pearl, one earclip with a white, while a black and a white -pearl are set together in a finger ring. - -For a White House cocktail party, jewelry with diamonds and multicolored -stones may be worn. Still more appropriate, with the simple cocktail -dress, is a parure. An especially effective set is a pearl necklace with -a diamond clasp on each side, and matching earclips, bracelet, and ring. - - -_The President’s Dinner_ - -For a formal dinner at the White House, marked by the presence of -the President, diamond jewelry is the only kind to wear. The guest’s -prominence and influence may be emphasized to the fullest degree in -the elaborateness of the jewelry chosen. And this is one of the rare -occasions when a woman need not be worried lest she outshine the boss’s -wife. The President, after all, is the servant of the people. - -The glamour and the resplendent brilliance of such a dinner must come -mainly from the guests. The President and the First Lady will affect -a more modest attitude, so as to give the guests full opportunity for -display. She is an unusual woman who will not take that opportunity! - -The most elaborate of all White House occasions is the Inauguration -Dinner. For this, and for various international balls, to which the heads -of the nations’ embassies are invited, there is an established set of -rules of protocol. One must have these in mind, as well as one’s own -position, before determining what sort of jewels to wear. - - -_The Captain’s Dinner_ - -On an ocean voyage, one encounters a ruler as absolute as any throned -monarch. The captain is usually most genial, but he is the man -upon whose shoulders rests total responsibility for the vessel, the -passengers, and the crew. He is an accessible ruler, however, and invites -many in his shipbound world to dine with him. - -Cocktails in the Captain’s private suite may precede the dinner. There -will be no time for a change of clothes between, so one must go to the -cocktail party prepared for dinner. And it will be a feast for the eyes -as well, with many parts of the world represented. Each woman will be -adorned in accordance with the customs of her land. And each must keep -in mind that she is, in some measure, an ambassador. Most persons abroad -have no way of judging America save through prejudiced newspaper stories -and flashy Hollywood films. Among the films Hollywood sends abroad are -the grim gangster melodramas and teenage delinquency films and the gaudy -sentimental dream-stories with happy, wealthy endings. Our paintings -and our literature give a truer picture of real Americans and for the -direct, most meaningful impressions on the largest number of people, -there are only our soldiers and our tourists. In spite of spread stories -of military misbehavior (good news is no news) and cartoons of uncouth -tourists, Americans abroad are in the main as good-natured and as decent -as they are at home. The Captain’s dinner is a good place to make the -pleasing first impression. - -Women make a spectacle of splendor there. The Maharanees are attired -in delicate draped saris, six yards or more long, with Indian jewels -exquisitely and finely set in bright yellow gold. The Chinese ladies -wear elaborately embroidered mandarin robes, tight-fitting and slit at -the sides, with smooth green jade jewelry worn more smooth by loving -generations. The English ladies will wear many sapphires, that jewel -deservedly popular with them, for it is most becoming to light hair and -fair complexions. The American woman must equally represent the charm and -beauty of her land. A wide range of jewels is appropriate here, within -the limits of moderation and good taste. - - -_Embassy Parties_ - -In the capitals of the world, next to the formal functions of the -government itself, come the parties at the embassies. Just as the -embassies in Washington and the Ambassadors at the United Nations in New -York hold festive parties on their national holidays, so in other lands -important American holidays are celebrated by the United States Embassy. -Perhaps the most famous of these is the annual party for that special -American holiday, Thanksgiving. - -An embassy party, however, is festive rather than official. The key -is color. Diamonds will naturally flash and sparkle, elegance will -prevail; but amid the brilliants there is opportunity for the display of -other precious stones. As always, the central factor from which other -considerations radiate is the wearer’s complexion. This has already -determined the choice of emerald, ruby, or sapphire as the gem around -which to build a parure. The choice of the parure leads to the color -of the evening gown, which, even if mainly white, may well be touched -with the chosen color. A matched necklace of the chosen precious stone -interspersed with diamonds is admirable. Pearls are in place, but -carefully chosen, so that their tint has part in the total harmony. - -An American woman may, of course always within the bounds of good taste, -wear somewhat more elaborate jewelry if the party is at a foreign -embassy. If it is at the United States Embassy, she will do better, as an -American citizen, to wear a more modest set of jewels, graciously giving -consideration to the guests from other lands. In a sense, every American -woman at a United States Embassy party is hostess. She has in part -probably been invited for this reason; keeping it in mind will help her -select the right jewels. - - -_Meeting Royalty_ - -There has been a spread of royal houses across the continents, in the -tumultuous years marked by two World Wars. It may well be that, in homes -in the United States or abroad, a woman will be invited to a gathering -at which a member of the nobility or of a royal family will be present. -Whether the person is in actual power or dethroned by the vicissitudes -of revolution, there is no need to wear more elaborate jewels than the -occasion in itself calls for. A woman should always be herself, at her -best; there is no need to seek better than that best for any nobleman. -The effort would be undemocratic; the result would be overdone. Good -taste, and the requirements of the particular party, formal or informal, -should reign. - -Good taste does suggest one specific warning: under the circumstances, -in deference to the noble guest, a woman should refrain from wearing a -tiara, or any head jewel resembling a coronet. - - -_Coronation_ - -A coronation, or a royal wedding—which usually includes the coronation of -the one marrying into the reigning house—is a special function, growing -less frequent in our strangely mixed times. The accession of Grace Kelly, -however, to become Princess of Monaco, shows that these occasions may -still spread their glamour wide. - -At such events, the type of diadem or coronet each person may wear is -strictly defined in regulations that for centuries have been built up -around the aristocracy in various lands. Manuals describe the ceremonial -and the regalia in detail. An untitled woman privileged to be present -will wear nothing but diamonds and precious and semiprecious stones; -imitation jewelry is out of place. If she has a large diamond necklace, -with pendants, there will be diamond earclips; if the necklace is a -choker, the earclip may have pear-shaped diamond pendant or emerald or -pearl drops. A beautiful diamond bracelet and ring will complete the -regal costume. - - -_A Queen’s Crown_ - -The monarch’s crown, and often his consort’s or his queen’s, has of -course been handed down from the heads of those that ruled before. -Occasionally there is a deviation from the tradition, as at the bridal -coronation of Queen Geraldine of Albania. Geraldine was a Roman Catholic -countess betrothed to a Mohammedan king. A royal crown usually bears a -symbol of the monarch’s faith incorporated into its design; there are -religious motifs in the ornamentation. In this case, naturally, such -motifs and symbolism were not to be involved. - -The honor of designing Queen Geraldine’s crown was entrusted to me. My -problem was to establish a royal but not a religious motif. I found -it in the crest of the kings of Albania. This bears the stylized head -of a rare mountain ram, which roams the snowy peaks of the beautiful -Albanian mountains. A sculptured head of the ram I had encrusted with -diamonds and set in the centre of the tiara; this tapered down to a -border of white roses made of diamonds, the leaves fashioned of diamond -baguettes—a decorative and distinctive diamond crown for the decorative -and distinguished Queen Geraldine. - - -_When Every Woman is Queen_ - -There is one day on which every woman is queen: her bridal day—the day -when all others yield place and do her deference. And she must remember -that a queen comports herself with dignity, yet is always gracious. - -While to the guests a wedding is mainly a social gathering, it is also a -religious occasion, and to the bridal pair a sacred service. The bride -therefore, especially at the formal evening wedding, will wear only -jewelry in white, diamonds or pearls. As the symbolism of the marriage -will be spread with the long veil and bound into the wedding ring, jewels -should be modest and few. - -Earclips should be small, and carefully chosen, of diamonds in simple -design. If a bracelet is worn, it should be on the right arm. The left -arm and hand should be bare of ornament, the engagement ring being -transferred, before the service, to stay on the right hand until the -groom has slipped the wedding band on his bride’s finger. No wrist watch -should be worn; on this night the groom is guardian of the hours. - -A small pin in appropriate design, with diamonds and pearls, may gleam on -the bosom. A four-leaf clover pattern, flowerets, lilies of the valley, -a small circle of diamonds symbolizing endless love, two hearts of -diamonds: any of these may be wrought, in diamonds or pearls or various -combinations of the two, for an added touch of appropriate beauty. - -The corsage or flower arrangement of the bride should be planned with -thought of the jewels she will be wearing. - -A morning wedding is less formal than the evening wedding, and one in -the afternoon more informal still. With the informal dress for a morning -marriage, a gold clip and gold jewelry are in place. In the afternoon, -or in the morning if it is planned to depart at once on the honeymoon, -a hat or a cap-like covering may be worn. Precious stones other than -diamonds are suitable with such a garb, but should preferably be of one -color, selected to blend with the wedding ensemble. With a light suit or -long-sleeve dress, no bracelet is desired. An evening marriage is more -formal, more elaborate, but never more festive; at any practical hour -there is joy at a wedding, and there should be jeweled beauty for the -bride. - - -_The Bridesmaids_ - -The bridesmaids should recognize that they are present to provide a -beautiful frame for a beautiful picture. When the bouquet and the garter -have been tossed and the toasted couple has gone, the bridesmaids -may have moments of their own; but at the wedding they are charming -accessories. As such, they should blend into the pattern set by the -bride. The bride-to-be, in fact, has selected the color scheme that the -bridesmaids will carefully follow. If they do not all have gowns of the -same design, these should be planned carefully so that no one outshines -the others, or draws attention from the bride. - -This balance should be maintained also, in the bridesmaids’ choice of -jewels. It may be that a simple pin or pair of earclips will be a gift to -each bridesmaid; such a jewel should of course be worn. If any necklace -is worn, it should be small. Pearl or gold earclips, without pendants, -should be chosen to blend with the person and the costume, not to stand -out. A small gold clip, with perhaps one precious stone or a small -pattern, will not be too conspicuous. There may be one gold bracelet, not -wide. Such jewels will preserve the individual grace of the bridesmaid -while softening her into the harmony of the whole, as a background of -youth and loveliness for the bride. - - -_The Mother of the Bride_ - -As every mother knows, her proudest moment is not that of her own -wedding, but that when she watches her daughter being wed. This is the -altar of her dreams. The mother of the bride symbolizes the continuance -of tradition, the unity of the family, the onward flow of the race. -She will dominate the hour before the ceremony, and she will continue -to receive congratulations and good wishes as she presides over the -festivity long after the bride and groom have slipped away. - -The mother of the bride may therefore wear more elaborate and more -colorful jewelry than the bride herself. The bride is adorned for the -occasion, her mother is adorned for the guests. The mother may wear, -then, important and imposing items: earclips, necklace, ring (not too -many rings!), bracelet, and brooch. Equally she may choose among her -jewels those that together show to best advantage, diamonds combined with -rubies, sapphires, or what she will. Good taste will be her criterion; -her desire, to make her daughter as proud as she is happy. There may -perhaps also be the suggestion in her costume that, mother though she is, -she still possesses freshness, vitality, and youth. - -Even at the most formal wedding, however, the mother should not wear -a tiara unless it is a treasured heirloom and thus a matter of family -tradition. - -What has been said of the mother of the bride holds as well—with a touch -more of simplicity—for the mother of the groom. - - -_The Wedding Guests_ - -A late afternoon wedding in a church may be followed by a dinner in a -hotel or hall or home, nearby; or the formal ceremony at night might -be performed in the special room of the hotel at which the dinner is to -take place. Usually the movement is directly from the ceremony to the -celebration. - -In Europe, when days were bright and frontiers uncurtained, there was -frequently time allowed after the ceremony for dresses to be changed -before the party. More decorative or elaborate gowns were put on, not -infrequently picturesque local or national costumes—and livelier jewels. -Sometimes this practice is allowed in the United States, especially when -an afternoon wedding in June is held outdoors, on the lawn or in the -garden. - -Then the change should be into brighter colors. Each bridesmaid can again -blossom in her own individuality. Gold gleams at the ears, around the -neck. Heirlooms and other special pieces may add to one’s adornment. -There is open field, now, in anticipation of the next wedding. There is -no need to fear outshining the bride; she is already far away, in body -and mind, with the man to whom she is giving her richest jewel. - - -_The Newborn_ - -A newborn child should not be presented with an important piece of -jewelry, unless this has been specifically left for that occasion by the -will of a wealthy grandfather or maiden great-aunt. - -The babe will smile just as pleasantly at the more appropriate charm -adorned with its birthstone, or a lucky locket, or an amulet to protect -it against evil. The month in which, the day on which, and the star -under which a child is born, all have their special stones. These may be -incorporated separately, according as the donor evaluates their power—or -all together, if the donor wishes to take no chances—in a little jewel. -More specifically religious symbols, or tokens of a saint or a guardian -angel, are of course appropriate. A peaceful animal, such as a lamb, in -enamel outlined in gold, or itself golden, makes a fitting gift for the -newborn child. - -Thus the rules of jewelry etiquette begin at the beginning of life. - - -_The Anniversary_ - -Naturally, as the anniversaries roll around, adding on new year after -year, a woman wants to continue looking and feeling young. For the effect -of youth, flower motifs in the jewelry ensemble are the most flattering. - -When these are made out of diamonds and colored stones, a little -imagination can combine them beautifully in a flower cluster or corsage. -Thus another piece of flower jewelry is always welcome; it may not only -be worn, but most appropriately be given, at an anniversary. - - -_Table of Anniversary Gifts_ - -For those who wish to observe wedding anniversaries with an appropriate -gift, they are here listed. - - _Anniversary of Wedding_ _Gift_ - - Third Crystal - Fifth Silver - Tenth Diamond - Eleventh Gold or silver jewelry - Twelfth Pearls or colored gems - Fourteenth Gold - Twentieth Platinum - Twenty-fifth Silver Jubilee - Thirtieth Diamond - Thirty-fifth Jade - Fortieth Ruby - Forty-fifth Sapphire - Fiftieth Golden Jubilee - Fifty-fifth Emerald - Sixtieth Diamond Jubilee - -For those who prefer to observe the older, less commercialized—at least, -unmodernized—associations, here is the traditional list: - - Fifth Wooden - Tenth Tin - Fifteenth Crystal - Twentieth China - Twenty-fifth Silver - Fiftieth Golden - Sixtieth Diamond - -While these associations may help suggest a gift, they should not be felt -as in any way binding. The desire of the woman, the taste of the man, the -discovery of a superb jewel in a shop, or a talk with a designer, may any -of them shape the decision and the gift. A flower design, as I have said, -is always attractive. And if one comes upon a fine one, why wait for an -anniversary? Alice looked up in Wonderland to remark that she preferred -unbirthday presents to birthday presents, because there could be so many -more of them. An unexpected gift can be a bright surprise, and make any -day a rich occasion. - - -_The More Solemn Time_ - -A wedding and a christening form occasions when happiness and piety are -intertwined. On other religious occasions, the gaiety gives way to -solemnity, or is overcome by sadness. At these graver times, there is a -concordant change in the selection of jewels. - - -_Audience with the Pope_ - -A telephone call and a friendly word may admit one to a group audience -with the Pope. This may be a happy, but it is also an awesome occasion, -for the Pope is the avowed divinely appointed supreme authority of the -longest-lasting institution in human history, the Roman Catholic Church. - -The procedure surrounding such an audience is set down and long -established. A woman who enters the audience chamber does not come to be -noticed, much less admired; she is there to participate in a service. -The solemnity and significance of the occasion make all adornment out of -place, with the exception of very simple jewelry of black jet. - - -_In Mourning_ - -At funerals and for visits of condolence, dark clothing should be -accompanied by very few if any jewels. It is a gesture of sympathy to the -bereaved to come to them unadorned. - -In many countries it is the custom for the bereaved to put away all their -bright gems and colored jewelry, for the entire period of mourning. -Special jewelry is made for the mourning months. This may include a -memorial ring in gold, with some token of the beloved dead. Otherwise, -the jewelry for this period will be limited to pieces made of black -enamel and jet. During the period of semi-mourning, which extends for the -second six months, the more unobtrusive colors may be chosen from the -jewel chest, and begin to reappear. But a full year will pass, save for -most exceptional circumstances, before the bright constellation of jewels -again takes the ascendant. - - -_Other Observations_ - -A few more general observations may be made, in the field of the -etiquette of jewelry. - -The time of day has a share in the determination of the jewelry. Just -as a gourmet never smokes before the coffee, so a woman of taste never -wears diamonds before lunch. In the evening, conversely, save on the most -informal occasions such as a surprise party or an outing, she will not -wear a tailored piece of leather, silver, or wood. - - -_Color Combinations_ - -Gems of various colors may be combined on a single piece, but it is -inharmonious to wear two jewels of differently colored stones. Thus -a tiara of rubies will clash with a necklace of emeralds; a sapphire -bracelet will war against a pair of ruby earclips. The colors may not be -at odds, but the jewels instead of blending will vie with one another; -the effect will be of discord instead of harmony. Sets of matching jewels -enhance one another, and ameliorate the wearer’s measure of beauty. - - -_Restraint_ - -Jewels in too many places create a confused rather than a blending -effect. If earclips, necklace and a dress clip are worn, a jeweled comb -or hair-clasp will add an excessive touch, unless the jeweled part is -visible only from the back. An exception to this is the tiara, which -adds regal height and dignity, but of course a tiara is worn only with a -décolleté gown on a most formal occasion. If a tiara is worn, the other -jewels should match it in period design, antique, classical, romantic, or -modernistic. - - -_Eyeglasses_ - -I have already mentioned eyeglasses. The simpler these are, the better. -Certainly they should not gleam with gold nor glitter with rhinestones -when one is wearing earclips. The meretricious sparkle of the eyeglass -rims draws attention from the earclips—which is the reverse of the proper -procedure, for well designed clips can lure attention away from the -glasses. - - -_The Lorgnette_ - -A woman who wears eyeglasses will be pleasantly surprised if, for more -formal occasions, she tries the effects of the lorgnon or lorgnette. -Whereas eyeglasses, fixed upon the face, tend to fight with the features -or with other accessories, the lifted lorgnette becomes not only an -adornment but a weapon. As much as the once universal fan, it can play a -part in the charms of coquetry, and add to the eloquence of the various -gestures of gay conversation or romance. In itself, the lorgnette can be -a beautiful jewel, in gold or platinum and precious stones. In the hands -of a graceful woman, it can considerably embellish her beauty, and is an -adjunct to an evening’s enjoyment that should be more widely employed. - - -_The Corsage_ - -There are many festive occasions on which a corsage is a fit and -flattering decoration. It will, however, weaken the effect of a pin or a -clip nearby. Variations in position, of either the clip or the corsage, -may preserve the full values of each. - -A corsage need not always adorn a dress at the shoulder. It may be -fastened at the waist, or on the evening bag, or even, if properly sized, -on the back of the wrist. If it does seem especially becoming at the -shoulder, or if the woman wishes to thank the donor by wearing it thus -prominently, then the clip may be the ornament that is transferred. It -may find a suitable place on the bag, the belt, the veil, the hair. A -band of velvet around the wrist, of the same color as the dress, may have -the clip caught into its bowknot. If the clip is of diamonds, it may be -attached to a pearl necklace or bracelet. In any of these ways, and more, -the clip and the corsage may be made not to clash but to combine for -beauty. - - -_Embroidery_ - -On an embroidered blouse it is best not to wear jewelry. Certainly no -brooch. Perhaps a skinpin, judiciously placed above the blouse, can add -to the harmony. This, and earclips, ring, or bracelet must be carefully -chosen, so that their colors and the embroidery do not clash. Plain gold -is best, especially for the bracelet. - - -_More About Bracelets_ - -Flexible link bracelets and stiff charm or bangle bracelets should not be -worn together. They battle for predominance. - -Many women prize bracelets, and have a large collection of different -sorts. They can be found in innumerable designs, of beautiful antique and -challenging modern, also in many materials and various colors of metals, -and set with a wide range of color in stones. It is a delight to form -and to build such a collection. But in deciding which bracelet to use, -discrimination must be summoned. One or two that harmonize with each -other and the dress, and fit the degree of formality of the occasion, -should be chosen and will catch the admiring eye. - -Among current favorites is the charm bracelet. This can be most -attractive, although only a teenage subdebutante will breeze into a room -with a tinkling of several bracelets laden with charms. One such bracelet -can have pleasantly and decoratively dangling mementos of special events -and occasions. I know a well-traveled young woman who adds a golden token -of each new country and important city she visits: among her dangles of -wrought gold and stones are a Mexican peon, a Balinese dancer, a gondola, -the Eiffel Tower, the volcano Fujiyama, and the Leaning Tower of Pisa. -There is also a heart, to indicate another region of her travels. - -Queen Elizabeth I had so many dangles that she used not a bracelet but -a girdle, which held keys, a pair of scissors, and even the fork—a new -luxury in her days!—she used at the table. Beside these around the royal -waist, there hung “a round clock fullie garnished with dyamondes,” and -a prayer book two and a half inches long, bound in gold and set with a -cameo. - -A pendant birthstone, the three monkeys that see, hear, and speak no -evil, and various lucky charms are also fit for dangles. Such items, -gathered through fortunate finds, add a personal and distinctive touch, -and convert an otherwise common ornament into an interesting jewel. - - -_More About Rings_ - -Never should rings be worn on different fingers of the same hand. In -other words, counting the engagement and marriage rings as one, one -should wear one ring on one hand at one time. Have many rings, if you -wish, but wear them in succession. - -If the left hand is bound by the wedding pair, the middle finger of the -right hand might be the place for a fine touch of color, in a plain band, -or one ringed with small diamonds, with a large central colored stone. - -The only ones by general consent allowed to wear many rings on many -fingers are the dowagers who can (and do) recall their youth in Queen -Victoria’s days. - - -_Gold Jewels_ - -Gold jewelry, without colored stones, may be termed neutral; that is, -any such piece will harmonize with other jewels. A plain gold bracelet -or watch, for example, may be worn with a gold and pearl ensemble. -Similarly, a plain gold piece can be worn with a multicolored jewel—if -the gold in the two pieces is of the same shade. Gold jewels, however, -should not be worn with other metals, such as diamonds set in platinum. -Silver, gold, platinum, or palladium: the same metal should characterize -the ensemble. - - -_In the Spotlight_ - -There will be occasions, in many women’s lives, when they will officially -be the center of attention. The various observations just made apply all -the more strongly then. - -One may be summoned for an appearance on television, or as the speaker -at a gathering or meeting. Or one may, indeed, be in a profession that -calls for frequent public performance, as on the concert stage. I do not -speak of acting, or of singing in opera, for in such situations the part -naturally determines the costume. - -A violinist, obviously, should wear no earclips or ring or shoulder -piece. A hair jewel is appropriate, and perhaps a touch of jewelry at -the waist. A pianist likewise should wear no adornment on hand or arm—a -bracelet, moving and gleaming as the fingers flit along the keys, would -be most distracting. In this case a diamond earclip would be appropriate, -or perhaps a jeweled pin in the hair on the side toward the audience. The -essential, for such performers, is to avoid distracting jewels. - -For a speaker at a meeting, or on television with the world watching, -the general principle of suiting the adornment to the personality holds. -Neither a singer nor a speaker, of course, should use pendants, which by -movement with the motion of the head would attract undue attention. - -With a low-cut gown, the necklace should not be a choker (which might -seem to move as one speaks) but a loose band, following the line of the -dress. It might be safer, indeed, to avoid the necklace. Instead, with a -V-neck dress, one large clip or pin will sufficiently hold the eye. With -a square-neck dress, a pair of smaller clips, one at each corner, will be -unobtrusively attractive. - - * * * * * - -The cornerstone in the etiquette of jewels, whether one is the center of -all eyes or one of a party, remains erect on three values: good taste, -harmony, and beauty. - - - - -CHAPTER 12 - -_Jewels as Gifts_ - - -It is indeed a gift, not shared by all, to be able to select a truly -appropriate present, one that fits the occasion, the recipient and the -donor. Without this threefold accord, something will seem lacking in even -the most expensive bestowal. - - -_Give Yourself_ - -Americans have long recognized the complex ties of sentiment that -should come together in the neat bowknot of a gift. Emerson devoted an -essay to the subject, making the point that the best gift is one that -includes a part of oneself. Lowell, in his great poem _The Vision of -Sir Launfal_, compresses the same idea into a trenchant line: “The gift -without the giver is bare.” We are not all—like grandmother, each of -whose six grandchildren received a linen table set embroidered by her own -hands—able to create our presents; but we can all choose thoughtfully, so -that to the gift clings some savor of our personality. - -Nothing is more disappointing—even to those who expected nothing—than -to receive a box of candy evidently picked up at the corner store, or a -bottle of quick-bought wine or whisky. If the wine is of a rare vintage, -the gift shows taste in the donor and respect for the recipient; but -other considerations should be weighed too. - - -_Gifts of Lasting Value_ - -Obviously, a gift quickly consumed and soon forgotten is less prized than -one that provides a lengthy or a permanent memento of the occasion. A -good wrist watch, appropriately engraved, may cost no more than a case -of whisky; instead of the bottle of perfume there might be a memorable -charm. Such gifts are evidence of thoughtfulness and warm affection; they -are not transitory; they abide. - -Most occasions for bestowing presents are heart-entangled; a gift is a -sign of a sentimental attachment. Some such occasions are touched upon in -other parts of this book; here the emphasis is more practical, indicating -the lines along which proper choice should be made. But whatever sort of -gift is suggested for any particular occasion, it is still the donor’s -concern to show that this is not just a routine purchase, but one that -has been made with affectionate care. - - -_Gifts to the Baby_ - -As I have already pointed out, the etiquette of jewelry begins with the -newborn babe. The little charms may be heart-shaped, or a tiny hand of -coral. There may be a small string of turquoises as a bracelet, long -believed sure to keep the infant from falling. One of the gifts a child -will come to prize more and more as the years go by is a little necklace -of pearls—to which at each birthday another choice pearl or two are -added, until the budding young woman has a beautiful string. - - -_To the Mother Too_ - -Among European aristocratic families it is the pleasant practice to -present a gift to the mother, as well as to the newborn child. The -husband can express his joy no more satisfactorily than by a precious -jewel. This might be of pearls or diamonds, to be added to on subsequent -birthdays. - -In royal houses, especially on the birth of the first male, elaborate -gifts were showered on the mother not only by the family, but by the -people, the state, and other royal houses. Outstandingly luxurious are -some of the jewels created by Fabergé for the lavish Czars of Russia to -present at the time of a noble birth. - - -_As the Child Grows_ - -Birthdays for the growing girl or boy are likely, in the earlier years, -to include many books and toys; but, for the girl, earclips, lockets, -charms, and brooches may be given, including if possible the appropriate -birthstone. - -Graduation from high school may be fitly marked by a gold pin or a watch; -often the school has its seal available on a gold ring or pin. And in the -fall, if the young lady goes on to college, a small pin or clip with her -initials in gold is an appropriate and traditional gift. - - -_St. Valentine’s Day_ - -Perhaps the casual or humorous Valentine is to be replaced by more -serious sentiments, and more memorable gifts. Dress clips, earclips, -money clips, and tie clips are all appropriate in the shape of a heart. - -A heart-shaped locket may open, to set a picture inside. Gems are cut -heart-shape: the topaz, the amethyst, the diamond. These gems may be set -in a ring, or the ring itself may bear a heart of precious metal. But -remember the warning in the chapter on rings: the ring is a jewel of -binding symbol, and should be given or exchanged only when the tie is -truly close. - - -_College Days_ - -Certain occasions in college dictate not only their own jewels but -the manner of their presentation. A sorority or fraternity pin may -be designed with different varieties or qualities of gem, but in all -likelihood there will be one type, and one formal occasion on which it is -conferred upon the happy initiate. Similarly, the Phi Beta Kappa key and -the insignia of other honorary societies are prescribed by tradition and -won by merit. - -When a young man and a young woman exchange such pins, however, time is -approaching for the lasting ties. Gift-giving is one of the pleasures -of courtship. On many a night a corsage or a box of bonbons is quite in -place; but more significant, and a richer testimony to one’s love, are -the twin friendship rings, or the farther-progressed lovers’ knots which -can be found in earclips, rings, and brooches. - - -_The Wedding Day_ - -The engagement ring marks the promise, the wedding ring marks the -fulfilment. But the wedding ring is a symbol upon which the ages have -set their approving stamp; it is not a gift. Some special token of the -groom’s appreciation and love should warm the heart of the bride. -Tradition suggests a necklace, which in its way is also a binding symbol. -What it is made of depends wholly on the groom. It may be a plain gold -band, or a golden series of little leaves, or of orange blossoms. It may -be of pearls with a diamond clasp; it may be all of diamonds. - -Whatever the material of the necklace, it should be of a fashion -appropriate for a maid; nothing heavy, nothing with an air of -sophistication; something of almost fragile grace, suggesting youth and -simple feminine charm. - - -_For the Bridesmaids_ - -The matron of honor and the bridesmaids should receive their gifts from -the bride at a luncheon or other occasion, such as the rehearsal, as -close as possible to the ceremony. She will by that time know what they -are wearing and fit her gifts to their gowns. Among appropriate gifts -are gold charm bracelets, disks, cigarette boxes, powder compacts, -lipstick holders, and the like. These should be engraved with the date -of the wedding, the name of the happy couple, and a memorable phrase. If -the jewels are such as have no proper space for engraving, the box that -contains the jewel should be embossed with the initials or name of the -couple, and the appropriate words. - - -_For the Ushers_ - -The groom in similar fashion, and with the same engraving, makes his -gifts to the best man and the ushers. In gold, he may choose tie pins -and clips, cuff links, money clips, key chains, toothpicks. Pencils and -fountain pens are appropriate, or silver letter-openers, with the box or -the article bearing the signs of the occasion. - - -_Other Gifts to the Bride_ - -In addition to any more substantial contribution to the hopes and -happiness of the newlyweds, the parents of the groom should give their -daughter-in-law-elect a gift that she will wear on her wedding day. This -will usually take the form of a brooch or clip. A flower design is always -appropriate; more playfully accordant is a clip of a four-leaf clover or -of bells, in diamonds. - -Perhaps the most touching among the wedding gifts is that which comes to -the bride from the grandmother. In many cases, it will be a jewel that -grandmother wore on her own wedding day; it is thus not only a precious -but a tender link that helps bind the family through the generations. - - -_Parents’ Days_ - -When time comes around for Mother’s Day, then Father’s Day, we realize -that all through the year our parents’ love reaches out to us and -deserves our grateful thoughts. Every day is a day to honor one’s -parents. They have shown us that love is the one gift one need not earn. -“Home,” says the poet, “is the place where, when you have to go there, -they have to take you in.” - -But on the special day set aside for Mother, children may combine to -give her a bracelet on which charms commemorate happy family times, -or list the names of children, grandchildren, and—if the years are -generous—great-grandchildren. A tree of life, a family tree, or various -brooches, make excellent gifts. - -Gifts for Father are likely to be simpler. Gold cuff links suggest -themselves, shaped in his initials. A gold pencil or pen, a key ring, -or—if it does not seem too much like a hint!—a money clip, may all be -appropriately inscribed, as a tribute to the person commonly called the -head of the family. - - -_For Later Birthdays_ - -Birthday presents become more complicated, and longer cherished, after -childhood. The older one grows—in spite of the jesting about beginning to -count backwards—the more one should have absorbed of the wisdom of life, -and the more endeared one should be to friends and family. - -For one’s wife, one may add a tender touch to a bracelet or other jewel, -by a secret message others will not guess. Thus the first letters of four -stones set in this order—diamond, emerald, amethyst, ruby—spell _Dear_. -One can form an alphabet of stones from which many hidden messages can be -conveyed to the loved one alone. - -For a man, a beautiful birthday gift is a ring with a star ruby, a star -sapphire, or a cat’s-eye, set in simple heavy metal, gold, platinum -or palladium. A plain gold signet ring is in good taste, or one with -initials sculptured of the metal. - -Remember, in buying a ring for a man, that it should be solid; for a big -man, quite a heavy band. A man pays little attention to his jewelry, once -he has put it on, and gives it the hardest wear. He keeps on his ring, -for example, while driving his car, swinging through a round of golf, -even performing a quick repair job in the house or working through some -“do it yourself” mechanics. - - -_Gifts For the Man_ - -Whatever a man needs, he probably has. Most gifts to men, therefore, such -as cuff links, provide them with another jewel of a kind they already -possess. This should be no deterrent, however, for what a man prizes is -less the gift itself than the feeling that inspired it. - -I will venture the suggestion that man is the sentimental sex. If there -is evidence of thoughtfulness behind the gift, he will doubly cherish it. -Those cuff links, for example, can be chosen in a pattern that suggests -one of his special interests or brings memories of some incident shared -only by his wife. - - -_The Wife’s Role_ - -Every business and professional man is aware of the importance of proper -appearance. Many, however, do not have the time a woman has to shop and -weigh and consider. Some, indeed, would not think it becoming in a man -to spend much time seeking items for his personal embellishment. Yet he -likes to be well dressed and is naturally pleased when his good taste in -accessories is admired. - -It is thus often the wife’s role to see that her husband is fitly -equipped. No well groomed man overlooks the place of jewelry in his -dress, but his choice is likely to be quick, almost slap-bang. It is a -further sign of her love that the wife takes it upon herself to make -meticulous choices for him. It is as important for a man to wear the -right jewelry as it is to wear a clean, well-fitting shirt. - - -_The Right Accessories_ - -However elegant a man’s wristwatch, there is, for formal occasions, -greater distinction in a thin pocket watch. With a fraternity key, a -pocket watch and chain are also appropriate, or else a key ring and chain. - -Tie clips and money clips may be secured in many varieties. - -A superb and truly masculine pair of cuff links can be fashioned of -twenty-four carat gold nuggets. Although not shiny, they have an -unmistakably precious look; and, as a gift, they capture the genuineness -of the feeling in the purest of gold. - - -_The Personal Touch_ - -A wise and thoughtful—not to say loving—woman will add a personal -touch that marks the gift as something intimately shared. A few words -engraved on the gift, a date significant in the two lives—it may be the -anniversary of their first meeting—add a special significance that makes -the gift a treasure. - -Just as there may be secrets caught into a gift to a woman, as when the -jewels spell out a sentiment, so a gift to a man may have its values -multiplied by a hidden message. That bar on the key chain, for example: -who but the two concerned know that it can open and reveal a tiny picture -of the beloved? Inside the ring may be their linked initials. In many -ways which will suggest themselves, according to the events in the -particular couple’s life, a secret shared in the gift keeps the love -twinkling. - - -_Special Gifts_ - -On various business and professional occasions, certain gifts have become -established by long practice. A twenty-fifth or other such anniversary in -business relations is appropriately marked by the gift of a gold watch. -Executives leaving their company may be given gold cigarette boxes or -cases. - -To mark special appreciation of an employee, gold cuff links bearing the -seal of the company are a frequent testimonial. A gold watch may mark his -long and faithful service. - -Various professions have their honors, as when a doctor is received -into the association of his specialty; in such cases there are usually -insignia that can be wrought into the gift. - - -_Historic Gifts_ - -Among givers of gifts, perhaps the nobles and the Czars of Russia have -been most lavish. The painted Easter eggs of the Russians are widely -known, and many amusing and artistic designs have been painted on actual -eggs. But the Easter egg jewels made by Fabergé are gem-studded works of -the lapidary’s art. - -Czars and Emperors—Nicholas, Franz Josef—have bestowed upon persons, who -caught their favor, watches initialed in diamonds. Sometimes, however, -the Czar merely ordered the bestowal of the gift, leaving the details -to an officer of the court. This happened after the first command -performance of Chaliapin who scornfully refused the proffered watch, -saying that the Czar had never sent him that! Shortly after, Chaliapin -received another watch, this one with the Imperial coat-of-arms in -diamonds. - -For King Zog of Albania, our firm developed a jewel that has grown in -popularity: a watch so thin that it is fitted inside of a hollowed coin. -Those coins bore a relief of King Zog on one side, his coat-of-arms on -the other; the watches were presented to high officers for supremacy in -horsemanship and other contests. - - -_The Presentation of a Gift_ - -In the United States, where the packaging industry has achieved -consummate skills, the way in which a gift is presented is particularly -important. The care taken in selecting the jewel must be reflected in the -container. The first thing the recipient sees is the wrapping; this must -quicken the anticipation of the surprise and delight inside. - -Naturally, the gift comes wrapped by the jeweler. It should be left that -way. A precious jewel will be encased in a fine leather or velvet box. -To this, the jeweler has given considerable thought, selecting shape, -size, color, and material that will display the particular jewel to best -advantage. Often, when I design a piece of jewelry, I am asked to suggest -how to package it for presentation. The box, then, is a carefully chosen -background for the jewel. - -For an especially significant gift, it can be arranged to have the box -embossed in gold with the initials or name of the person receiving it, -and the date of the special occasion. - -Without taking the jewel out of its wrapping and box, there are many -ways in which an added personal arrangement may grace the giving. The -jewelry box, for instance, may be adorned with a single rose, or a few -of the lady’s favorite flowers, or flowers associated with a mutual -memory. Or the florist may be asked to place the jewelry box inside the -cellophane box that holds a corsage or an orchid. The flower brings its -own pleasure, then multiplied by the surprise of the jewel. - -The sweet tingle of surprise may also be increased by enclosing the -jewelry box in a larger one, which disguises the typical shape of the -gift box. If the gift is a bracelet, it might well be tucked into a glove -box, along with a pair of gloves. Or the jewel may be innocently placed -in a drawer of a little antique jewelry case; on opening the attractive -case, behold! the attractive jewel. - -At Christmas time, the box can be set upon the tree. Still more appealing -would be a separate tree, such as those little artificial ones, the sole -ornament of which is the box with the proffered jewel. - -In the Middle Ages, when jewels were thought to have special powers to -preserve health, to ward off evil, they were thus effective only when -received as a gift. The gift of jewels still has a special power, beyond -the intrinsic value of the gems carrying the weight of love, establishing -a memento and sustaining the sentiments that build into happy lives. - -[Illustration: 48. PORTRAIT OF H. H. INDIRA DEVI. _The Maharani of Cooch -Behar holds a famous necklace of rare ruby beads with two large clasps -made of diamonds._] - -[Illustration: 49. SPRAY PIN DESIGN. _Round, marquise and baguette -diamonds create this handsome clip which can also be worn in the hair or -separated for earclips._] - -[Illustration: 50. DESIGN FOR A DIAMOND CLIP. _Round and pearshape -diamonds form a pendant of grape-like design which can be detached from -the baguette ribbons and worn as a striking addition to a pearl or -diamond necklace._] - -[Illustration: 51. DESIGN FOR A DOUBLE CLIP. _Distinctive effects are -produced when this clip of round and baguette diamonds is separated into -its two harmonizing but unequal parts._] - -[Illustration: 52. DESIGN FOR A GOLD AND DIAMOND PIN. _Round diamonds -individually set in 18 karat gold create this handsome jewel._] - -[Illustration: 53. PORTRAIT OF FLIPPY. _The author’s poodle is sculptured -in 22 karat gold. The eye is represented by a yellow diamond, and the -collar is made of baguettes._] - -[Illustration: 54. FLORIAN. _This replica of Emperor Franz Josef I’s -snow-white show horse, immortalized in Felix Salten’s book, is wrought -in platinum with 246 diamonds. The bridle and hoofs are made of pure -fine-gold._] - -[Illustration: 55. SET OF EARCLIPS AND BROOCH. _The same motif is -repeated in both the pin and the earclips without making them identical. -Movement is suggested by the sculptured effect of the leaves. The -delicacy of this design makes it ideal for the petite woman._] - -[Illustration: 56. GOLD AND DIAMOND WATCH. _Gubelin of Switzerland -designed this gold watch bracelet with a diamond motif which gracefully -conceals the face of the watch. The wide band is well-suited to a heavy -wrist._] - -[Illustration: 57. PEARL NECKLACE WITH TWO DIAMOND MOTIFS. _To stress a -delicate neckline, three strands of perfectly matched pearls are tapered -down to two strands in back. The two abstract ornaments of platinum and -round and baguette diamonds are both decorative and functional—one of the -motifs contains the clasp._] - -[Illustration: 58. TABLE OF STONES. _The four most desired shapes of -diamonds (from top to bottom)_: - -_The round brilliant-cut diamond_ - -_The emerald-cut diamond_ - -_The marquise-cut diamond_ - -_The pearshape diamond_] - -[Illustration: 59. MODELS OF THE KOHINOOR DIAMOND. _The model in the hand -shows the famous stone as it appeared to Queen Victoria when presented to -her in 1850 by the East India Company. At that time it weighed 186 carats -but, because the Indian form of cutting was thought to smother some of -the natural fire, the Queen decided to have it re-cut. After 38 days of -work, the re-cut stone, shown in the replica on the cushion, weighs only -109 carats. The Kohinoor is now in Queen Elizabeth’s crown._] - -[Illustration: 60. GOLD CIGAR BOX. _Presented to the late King Carol -II of Roumania, this unique box is engraved with a map of his country -depicting the agriculture and industry. The natural resources are -highlighted by precious stones—a different stone is used for each product -of raw material. The clasp, representing the royal coat of arms, is made -of diamonds and platinum._] - - - - -PART FOUR - -_The Techniques and Care of Jewels_ - - - - -CHAPTER 13 - -_The Techniques of Gems_ - - -I have been using the terminology of the field of gems and jewelry, -taking it for granted that the meanings would be understood. Perhaps it -is time to make these terms more precise. - - -_Definitions_ - -A jewel, or a piece of jewelry, is a costly ornament, especially of gold, -platinum, or precious stones; or of stones set in one of these metals. - -A precious stone is one highly prized for human adornment. Its value -is measured mainly by its beauty, its rarity, and its durability. The -precious stones are, by general understanding, limited to the diamond, -the ruby, the emerald, and the sapphire. The pearl, though strictly not -a stone and far less durable, is nevertheless, because of its beauty and -the rarity of superb specimens, included among the precious gems. - -A gem is a precious stone of rare quality, especially when cut and -polished. All other stones used in jewelry are semiprecious. - - -_Light on the Stones_ - -Stones may be characterized according to their response to light. -Lustrous stones are those which catch the light brilliantly and glow -almost as though with an inner flame. The cutting of the gem may aid -in this effect, as with the diamond. Vitreous stones are of the glassy -type, not lustrous. These may be transparent, permitting one to see -objects clearly through the stone, like a fine crystal; or they may be -translucent, permitting one to see light and shadow but not distinct -objects through the stone. When light falls upon such translucent stones -as moss agate, moonstone and agate, there is a soft glow. - -Or stones may be opaque, permitting no passage of light, like the -turquoise. Because of their crystalline structure, even the opaque -stones, however, may respond glowingly to light. Sometimes when the -stone was formed, tiny cracks or bubbles stayed between the crystals. As -the stone is moved, these cracks cause a play of prismatic colors which -seems almost the sparking of an inner fire. To the names of such stones -the term _fire_ is prefixed; they are extremely rare and beautiful. The -Empress Josephine had a fire opal so remarkably aflame that she called it -“The Burning of Troy.” - - -_Star Gems_ - -Another variation from regularity, which can scarcely be called an -imperfection or a flaw, enhances the beauty and the value of a precious -stone. A certain break or tiny space in the crystalline structure may -produce a radiation of three lines crossing at a single point, giving the -effect of a six-pointed star. The star ruby and the star sapphire are -among the most highly prized of all gems. - - -_The Pearl_ - -The pearl has been described as “a disease of the oyster.” A tiny foreign -object, such as a grain of sand or a chip off the inside of the shell -(this inside is called nacre or mother-of-pearl) becomes imbedded in the -oyster itself; it is, of course, an irritant. Drawing upon its natural -resources but unable to expel the foreigner, the oyster protects itself -by isolating the intruder, building around the speck a thin layer of an -iridescent fluid, similar to that which lines the oyster shell. This -fluid hardens, layer after layer. Given proper time—about four or five -years—and the proper species of oyster—not the kind commonly used for -food—and a pearl is born. - -A cultured pearl differs from an imitation pearl much as a synthetic -differs from a paste stone. A cultured pearl is naturally developed by an -oyster which has been artificially inseminated. Man starts the process, -the oyster carries it through. About 1920 an ingenious Japanese inserted -a tiny bead of mother-of-pearl into an oyster; the result was the first -cultured pearl. Since the oyster is first captured, then inoculated, then -released under controlled conditions, the processes of production can be -kept less haphazard, the time speeded and the quantity increased. As with -synthetic gems, however, there are tiny indications, in structure, in -lustrousness, by which the cultured may be distinguished from the native -pearl. - - -_Cutting the Stones_ - -I have mentioned that the cutting may help to bring out the brilliance -of a stone. There are two main types of cutting: the cabochon, used from -earliest times; and the faceting, used increasingly over the past four -centuries. Each is still valued for particular stones and purposes. - - -_Cabochon_ - -A stone cabochon cut is cut in a smooth upward (convex) curve, like -the arc of a circle or an ellipse. Most frequent is the medium cut, -a smooth oval with the under surface flat. The steep cut produces a -dome-like effect, as of a small haystack or high mound. In the hollow -cut, the upper surface is convex and the lower surface is concave, the -effect being that of a small bar curving upward. The fourth commonly -used cabochon cut is the double cut, the upper surface curving up and -the lower surface curving down, like a tiny elongated football. Which of -these cuts is used depends partly upon the jewel for which the stone is -intended, but mainly upon the original shape and coloring of the stone. - - -_Facets_ - -Transparent and translucent stones which seem to have radiance are -usually made more beautiful by faceting. A facet is a small, smooth face -or plane surface; a number of these are cut upon a gem. - -In most facet-cut gems five regions can be distinguished. The table—the -top of the stone—is usually flat, though it may be slightly domed; it is -usually the largest of the facets, though the size may vary according -to the stone and the type of cut. The bezel is the slope from the top, -consisting of slanted, smooth faces that may proceed in various planes -or by ninety-degree “steps” down to the girdle. The girdle is the widest -part, the “equator,” of the cut stone; it is here that the setting is -usually attached. The pavilion is the part that slants down from the -girdle to the culet, which is the bottom point of the stone. Sometimes -the stone is slightly truncate; that is, it is cut to a small flat -surface, instead of a point, at the culet. More generally, the part of -the stone above the girdle is the crown; the part below the base. - - -_Types of Faceting_ - -There are many patterns of faceting. Six are fairly common. - -1. Brilliant. This is used especially for large diamonds, which are then -often called brilliants. The gem is cut as though two pyramids with -sixteen-sided bases were placed base against base, the points at opposite -ends. The upper point is truncated, to form the table. Brilliant-cut gems -usually have 58 facets, 33 above the girdle, 25 below. For the sake of -the superb light effects achieved by this cut, there is often sacrificed -a considerable portion of the original stone. - -2. Rose. This may be used for smaller diamonds and other gems. The rose -cut is circular, with the table slightly domed. It is flat underneath. -The part above the girdle is usually cut into 24 equal facets. - -3. Square. This cut, as its name indicates, provides a square table. The -facets are cut parallel to the girdle, both above it and below. Since -they will thus seem to be proceeding downward in a succession of steps, -this is also called the step cut. - -4. Emerald. The emerald cut may have either a square or an oblong table. -The corners, instead of being pointed and at right angles as in the -square cut, are cut off and faceted. As the name implies, this is a -frequent cut for the emerald, but the topaz, amethyst, aquamarine, and -other stones—even the diamond—may be square cut or emerald cut. - -5. Marquise. The marquise cut is somewhat like an oval, but pointed at -the ends: boat-shaped. It is sometimes called navette. - -6. Pear-shape. This very fancy shape is cut like a marquise but with one -side rounded out, giving a tear or drop-like appearance. It lends itself -very well to free-hanging parts on necklaces and earclips. This cut is -growing in popularity for an engagement ring. - -There are many other possibilities of special faceting and fancy cuts. -Stones may be cut in the shape of a kite, a keystone, a lozenge, a -triangle, a half-moon or other figure. Popular among special shapes is -the baguette, “little stick,” in which the stone is cut to resemble a -small rod. - -Increasingly in recent years, especially as a sentimental souvenir -and even more in the new engagement rings, diamonds are being cut -heart-shaped. This is a difficult and a costly pattern to produce since -not every diamond lends itself to be cut into heart shape. - -Facet cuts have come to be far more frequent than cabochon. Cabochon, -usually in a medium cut, is still used for star rubies and star -sapphires, as its smooth surface most lavishly displays the radiance -of the star. Also, the moving band of light in the cat’s-eye and the -reflection in the moonstone are at their best in cabochon. When the color -in a ruby, garnet, or sapphire is beautifully deep, the curve of the -cabochon takes fullest advantage of that depth and richness. Cabochon cut -is also used for most opaque stones, as the opal, the turquoise, and the -jade. The baguette cut is most often used around a ring, or as a frame -for larger stones. Each cut has its separate beauty, and is designed to -bring out the richest qualities of its gem. - - -_Hardness of the Stones_ - -One reason for the pre-eminence of the diamond is its indestructibility. -It is by far the hardest of all stones. Setting the standard of the -diamond at ten, a table has been made of descending hardness. The whole -numbers on this scale are marked as follows: - - 10 diamond - 9 corundum - 8 topaz - 7 quartz - 6 feldspar - 5 apatite - 4 fluorspar - 3 calcite - 2 gypsum - 1 talc - -It is at once obvious that few of these are precious, or even -semi-precious, stones. What must be noted is that this list is not a -proportionate scale; that is, it indicates order, but by no means any -specific degree of hardness. The difference in hardness between the -diamond and its neighbor, corundum, is greater than that between corundum -and talc. The best that can be said is that, as they are arranged, each -one can scratch all those listed below it. - -Thus there is no other stone that can scratch a diamond. The old saying -“diamond cut diamond” means that two champions are evenly matched, -and diamonds can be cut and polished only in this fashion. A wheel of -corundum or other substance is coated with diamond dust; when this is -applied to a diamond stone, an equal process of attrition takes place; -diamond dust is worn off both the wheel and the stone. This dust, of -course, may be used for further cutting and polishing to make the -finished stone. - -The cutting referred to here is the shaping of the facets and the -surfaces of the stone; for most crystalline formations, however hard, -are brittle; that is, they may be split or cleaved along the lines of -the crystal edge. This accounts for both the possibility and the danger -of cleaving the raw diamond. Formed under tremendous pressure beneath -the surface of the earth, a diamond may be distorted in its growth; -it may be an unshapely and often a fairly large stone, which must be -cleft to a proper shape and size for setting. This cleaving, effected -by a single hammer tap, is made only after minute examination and -re-examination—sometimes a year’s pondering—by an anxious expert. After -this cleavage, a diamond will be much smaller than when it was mined, -but it counterbalances the loss of size by the greater brilliance and -beauty the new shape discloses. The Kohinoor diamond was over 700 carats -when it was found; when cut it was no more than 186⅙ carats; and since -then it was recut, as a brilliant, to its present weight of 106⅙ carats. -Sculpture has been defined as the process of removing the excess from the -marble statue already within the block; how much more this is true of the -precious stone, which the lapidary releases from its dull confinement! - -Diamond dust, black diamonds, and hard metals may be used to shape, -engrave and polish the other stones. A list of some of the stones -frequently used in ornaments and jewels would rank them, for hardness, in -the following order: - - diamond 10 - sapphire 9 - ruby 8.8 - chrysoberyl 8.5 - spinel 8 - topaz 8 - aquamarine 8 - emerald 7.8 - zircon 7.8 - tourmaline 7.5 - amethyst 7 - bloodstone 7 - chalcedony 7 - onyx 7 - jade 6.5 - peridot 6.3 - moonstone 6.3 - turquoise 6 - opal 6 - lapis lazuli 5.2 - pearl 4 - malachite 3.5 - coral 3.5 - amber 2.5 - jet 2.5 - - -_Qualities of a Stone_ - -The qualities that determine the value of a stone are difficult to -specify. Hardness, size, weight and shape are obvious elements. Lustre -and the powers of reflecting and refracting light clearly contribute -to the value. The manner in which a stone is cut may add to its value, -either because of the light effects or because of the interesting -shape. One might expect perfection, freedom from flaw, to be important, -and indeed in the diamond this is so. The most common flaw in the -diamond, by the way, is not a crack but a speck or tiny specks of carbon -remaining between the crystals, the diamond being a crystallized form -of carbon. In other stones—as we have observed of the star ruby, the -star sapphire and the cat’s eye—a physical flaw may result in a greater -aesthetic desirability. Other special features may enhance the value of a -particular stone; a recently discovered ruby is the only known example of -a double star, with not six but twelve rays. The history and associations -of a gem or jewel, dramatic or sentimental, storied or personal, may be -what makes its possession desirable. - - -_Measurement_ - -One seldom speaks of the size of a precious stone; other things being -equal, its value is estimated by its weight. The unit of weight, in -measuring precious stones, is the carat. As the word carat comes from -the Arabic, meaning the nut or bean of the carob tree, it was evidently -in olden times a rather imprecise measure. It has now been made definite -as two-tenths of a gram (1c. = 0.2 gr.). It takes 141¾ carats to make an -ounce, and therefore 2,268 carats to make a pound. Smaller diamonds are -measured by points; one hundred points equal one carat. - -The pearl is usually measured by the grain; a grain equals ¼ of a -carat, or one twentieth of a gram (0.05 gr.). (This grain is not to -be confused with the grain that is the smallest unit in the English -system of weight.) Any pearl which is less than one quarter of a grain -is called a seed pearl; an ounce of these may contain as many as 7,000 -to 9,000 pearls. They are used in embroidery, in weaving cloth, and for -many-stranded chains. - - -_The Precious Metals_ - -The purity of gold is also measured in carats; in the United States, -to distinguish the two systems, the gold weight is spelled with a _k_: -karat. Pure gold is spoken of, arbitrarily, as being 24 karat gold. Pure -gold, however, is too soft for most uses, especially in jewelry; it is -therefore mixed with a harder metal; the mixture, and the less valuable -metal used in the mixture, are both called the alloy. The number of -karats of gold indicated is the proportion of pure gold in the alloy. -Thus, 18 karat gold means 18 parts of pure gold mixed with 6 parts of -alloy. - - -_Alloys_ - -The alloy is usually formed by fusing metals together; when molten -they dissolve in each other and form an intimate union, often (as in -industrial uses) producing a new metal with qualities quite different -from those of the separate elements of the mixture. The admixture of -nickel or zinc with gold produces what is called white gold; an alloy of -copper or brass is red gold, ranging in color from pink to deep rose; an -alloy of silver is green gold. In addition to gold—mainly 20, 18, and 14 -karat gold—pure (sterling) silver, platinum and, more recently, palladium -are also effectively employed for jewels, alone or as background in -which to set precious stones. Other precious metals occasionally used in -the making of jewels are iridium, rhodium and ruthenium. The favorites, -however, continue to be platinum and gold. - - - - -CHAPTER 14 - -_The Care of Jewels_ - - -_How to Care For Jewels_ - -There are many misconceptions as to the care and the cleaning of jewels. -And there is but one sound rule. When jewelry needs to be cleaned, take -it to the jeweler. - -A woman who takes her jewels to a jeweler, to have him clean them, is -showing that she regards him as her regular dealer; as such, he will -be happy to clean them without charge. At the same time, he will check -the settings, the clasps, the safety catches. While home cleaning might -damage a stone, or loosen it in its setting, professional work restores -the jewel so that it is both cleaner and more secure than before. - - -_Home Care_ - -There is one way in which a woman can help to keep her jewelry clean. -Every time that a jewel is worn, it should be wiped with clean tissue -paper, or chamois leather, before being put away. (Facial tissue should -not be used, as it will leave a fuzz.) Such a gentle wiping will remove -the grease of finger-marks, and other marks or specks. - - -_Cleaning Don’ts_ - -In general, it is inadvisable to use a brush for cleaning jewelry, as -it tends to loosen the stones. Eventually—not while being cleaned, but -during an otherwise pleasant evening—a stone may fall from the setting. - -Ammonia, soap, and other cleaning agents are likely to leave a film. This -may be imperceptible; a woman may think she has “cleaned it all off”; and -yet it may greatly lessen the brilliance of the stone. - -Soaking in boiling water—with or without chemicals—is dangerous. Some -alloys as well as some stones cannot stand such treatment. Likewise -sudden heat, or sudden cooling, may seriously damage certain stones; some -may even crack, or break. Most delicate are the emerald, the peridot, the -aquamarine, and the turquoise. - -The turquoise especially should not come into contact with fatty or oily -substances. It is porous, and such substances are likely to change its -color, or to make it dull. - -In every case, when she is tempted to apply home cleaning to her jewels, -a woman should remember that the jeweler is equipped with steam blowers -and other modern devices, each for its particular type of stone, and he -is glad to be called upon to give his expert knowledge and gentle care. - - -_Pearls_ - -Perhaps most care is required in the handling of the pearl. Boiling, for -example, is almost sure to loosen any pearls in a jewel. All chemicals -are to be avoided. - -For casual cleaning, a pearl necklace may be wiped with a clean and -slightly damp cloth. It should not be pulled; the best way is to roll it -on a towel. - -If the necklace becomes too wet, the string may become loosened. A pearl -necklace, indeed, should be regularly restrung; there is little sense in -waiting until it breaks. When the knots near the clasp of the necklace -have become grey, restringing time has come. - -One must be careful not to put perfume, or any liquid containing alcohol, -on, or close to, pearls. They may lose their lustre, or even start to -peel. - -At the hairdresser’s, pearls should of course be removed before any -treatment. The heat of the dryer, for example, may loosen the pearls in -their settings. - - -_Reminders_ - -Some of the things in this chapter I have already said; this is a time -for reminders. And one important reminder is that, even if the front -pearls are strung without knots—and they will be more lustrous if thus -close together—a few pearls on each side of the clasp should always be -knotted. That is the danger spot for breaks. - -Another helpful reminder is that elaborate jewels may be made with -removable or convertible parts. I have discussed in detail how a very -formal jewel, likely to be worn on rare occasions, may be so fashioned -that, in various smaller units, it can be enjoyed more freely and -frequently. - -And just one more reminder—about the necklace clasp. A colored stone, -such as an emerald or a ruby, may highlight a necklace of pearls. Or -the clasp may be of a single pearl, encircled by marquise or baguette -diamonds. But here is the place to enshrine that still precious but -“grown too small” engagement ring: make the engagement diamond the chief -stone in the necklace clasp. And of course something suitable must come -for that empty space next to the wedding band! - - -_More Cautioning_ - -Several other observations will be helpful. - -A small pearl clasp should never be worn in front. Instead of looking -attractive, it will just look untidy. - -A pearl necklace and a gold necklace should not be worn together. Each -will weaken the effect of the other. - -Rhinestone ornaments should be avoided when one is wearing precious -jewelry. Rhinestones on dress or evening bag will cheapen the entire -effect. With jewelry, all other accessories should be subdued. - -The amethyst is a temperamental stone. If worn in a ring, it calls for -nail polish in the purple hues. If these are unbecoming to a woman’s -hands, the amethyst is not for her. This may happen when the skin pigment -tends to be dark; amethysts may then make it seem sallow. But if the -purple hues are becoming, there may be great beauty in the amethyst. - -Modern and antique jewels—this is an emphatic reminder—should never -be worn together. Modern cuts make stones so brilliant that they will -overshadow the daintier antiques, and may even make them look false. The -charm of the antique lies in its intricate and delicate workmanship, -in the grace of its details. Beside modern pieces, these qualities are -lost. Always, the one exception is the wearing of the engagement and the -wedding ring; these may be worn with either modern or antique jewels. - - -_For Travel_ - -One of the major concerns in regard to jewelry is its protection away -from home. Such questions as how to carry it, and how to insure it, call -for consideration and prior care. - - -_Insurance_ - -All good jewelry should of course be insured, itemized piece by piece. -This involves an appraisal by a recognized jewelry firm, which will -register the various jewels, listing the number of stones and their -weight, and indicating the current retail replacement value. There should -also be a photographic record made of the jewels. This may be kept in -microfilm. Most large jewelers keep a photographic record of every jewel -that passes through their hands. - -The appraisal of the jewels should be kept up to date. Values of stones -are in a state of constant change; usually there is an increase. Once a -year is not too often for a reappraisal, and the insurance broker should -at once be informed of any significant changes. Such a revised evaluation -is a guarantee of full compensation in the event of loss, and gives an -adjustor no ground for argument as to the value of a jewel or a stone. - -The inventory should include every piece of jewelry, including the less -expensive items, such as might be worn every day. These are just the ones -that are likely to be lost or stolen. - - -_The Traveling Case_ - -Since most policies cover the loss or theft of jewels at home or abroad, -there is no need to leave precious jewels at home while traveling. -There is, of course, no need to advertise their presence by boarding a -ship or plane with a standard jewelry case carefully in hand. Much less -conspicuous, as well as safer and more convenient, is a jewelry pouch -carried inside the handbag. - -Individual pouches can accommodate the various jewels. Long experience -traveling with many jewels, both of my professional and of my personal -collection, enabled me to fashion a pouch that combines practicality with -good looks. This pattern has come to be widely used, and may be purchased -at leading stores throughout the country. - -The pouch is made of suede leather, chamois lined; it contains partitions -that comfortably hold the various types of jewel: bracelets, earclips, -clips, rings, necklaces, and the rest. Bracelets and necklaces, of -course, should not be forced out of shape by rolling or bending, lest the -stones be pressed out of their settings. - -The chamois is designed to keep the jewels apart, so as not to scratch -one another. Hard gems might, for instance, injure the skin of pearls. -The hardest of all, the diamond, must be carefully wrapped so that it -will not scratch other stones. - -Should there be enough jewels in the collection to warrant more than one -pouch, the lucky owner may have the suede in various colors. An emerald -parure may thus be in the green pouch, while the red pouch holds the -jewels that are mainly of rubies. This will not only save hunting around, -but will simplify selection if the jewels are left with the purser. - -It is wise, on board a liner, to check one’s jewelry with the purser, and -to take out each day only the pieces that are to help one shine on that -occasion. First day and last day at sea are most informal. - - -_Registering Jewels_ - -All jewels taken on a trip should be listed; a copy of the list should be -taken, another copy should be left at home. - -Some countries, such as Turkey, have rigid regulations regarding the -export of jewels. In such cases—which can be indicated by the travel -agent—it is well to register one’s jewelry with the customs official -when entering the country. In this way, one can be sure of taking it out. - -Similarly, for complete security of this sort throughout a journey, -jewelry may be registered with the U.S. Customs before leaving the United -States. The customs officer checks the jewelry and the list, keeps a copy -and gives one, officially signed, to the traveler. In cases where this -precaution was not taken, a person returning to the United States has -been unable to prove that she had a certain valuable jewel before leaving -the country, and has had to pay duty on it. - -Such a list may be helpful in many ways. Every large port has this -service available to travelers. In New York, jewels may be officially -registered at the Appraiser Stores, at 201 Varick Street, where courteous -attention and thoughtful advice are given to all. - - -_Traveling Cautions_ - -Jewelry should never be left in an untended car. Sometimes that “just a -moment” away stretches to dangerous minutes. - -Jewelry should never be left in checked baggage. Jewelry should not be -left in the drawers of the dressing table, nor indeed anywhere in an -unguarded room. Every hotel has a safe in which, without charge, guests -may keep their valuables. - - - - -CHAPTER 15 - -_Jewelry Up to Date_ - - -There are several important matters to be considered in the preservation -of jewelry. Although all stones may grow temporarily dull from the -accretion of dirt and grime, or even from a soapy film added by the -attempt to clean them, most stones endure indefinitely. Most jewelry, -however, does not, simply because it becomes old-fashioned. - - -_The Old and the Antique_ - -If jewels are old-fashioned for a long enough time, they may become -antique. Antique jewelry has historical or traditional value and may be -worn with great effect on certain occasion—it should not, of course, -be mixed with jewels of other periods. There is a vast difference -between something that is antique and something that is merely old. -As out-of-date furniture makes a room look old-fashioned, out-of-date -jewelry makes a woman look old. - -The stones in these outmoded jewels are as good as ever they were. -Indeed, they have quite possibly grown more valuable through the years. -Not only are they as beautiful as when first worn but they are enhanced -by the years of sentiment which have cast their special aura around them. -It is the piece as a whole, the design that frames the stone, that has -become old-fashioned. The obvious thing to do is to have it remodelled. - - -_Old Jewelry with New Possibilities_ - -The immediate problem with regard to remodelling is the man. A husband -may be loving and generous, but in proportion as he is, he is likely -also to be sentimental. Few men recognize, or at least admit, the fact -that man is the sentimental sex. A husband may occasionally ask his wife -why she is not wearing a jewel he gave her years ago. He would of course -resent her telling him she no longer cared for it. And he would probably -be a little bewildered and resentful if she told him bluntly that it is -out-of-date. A simple process of education might make him see how the old -one can again be made part of the currently usable treasures. - -The fact that the jewel is not disregarded but is cherished as a sign of -the bond of love that led to its purchase should please any husband. But -no man wants his loved one to look older than necessary, any more than he -would not want her wearing knee-length skirts when all around the skirts -come half a foot closer to the ground. - -When the jewel was first chosen, although the design was doubtless -appropriate to the times, the basic consideration was the beauty of the -gems, their intrinsic value, and what they could do to beautify the woman -for whom they were selected. These things have not changed. Nor has the -woman’s love for them, nor—we have assumed—her love for the donor. But -the brightness of the design has faded. Remodelling with a fresh design -will put a new jewel in the ear and a new sparkle in the eye. The old -sentiment will be refurbished, the old love will gleam anew. - - -_The Contemporary Jewels_ - -It is surprising how, though the stones themselves remain unchanged, -remodelling can create an entirely new jewel. Many an old-fashioned piece -now in a safety vault, sheltered from all but the dust of time, can be -given a beautiful modern setting and restored to an active place in one’s -evenings. Modern design not only can give the precious stones a new -styling, but can bring out their beauty as it never shone before. - -Even the solitaire diamond, simplest of jewels and seemingly most -constant in fashion, can be given a helpful face-lifting. Higher settings -have been devised which permit the light to radiate more fully from all -angles of the facet surfaces. The powers of reflection of which we know -more now than in former years are thus used in additional interplays of -light. - - -_Modern Movement_ - -A piece of jewelry made some years ago is likely to be symmetrical. This -type of design contains a quiet beauty. The great classical statues are -symmetrical; that is, if a vertical line is drawn down from the middle of -the forehead, the body will be equally distributed on each side; an arm -thrust forward is balanced by a leg held back. Thus all is in equipoise, -calm and quiet. - -But the modern figure in marble, bronze or other material, by some -subtle shifting of the balance will be out of equilibrium. The sculptor -Rodin has a great figure of John the Baptist, taking a giant stride—with -both feet flat on the ground. This, some may exclaim, is an anatomical -impossibility. Precisely! In Rodin’s statue, as the eye flicks from one -foot to the other, the figure has taken the step! By this and other -sorts of manipulation, the modern sculptor endows his figures with -expectant motion. - -The comparison of jewelry with sculpture is especially apt, for the -three-dimensional jewelry of today presents a challenge to the sculptor. -Some of the great sculptors of all times have worked with the precious -metals; some of the jewel designers have had training with sculptors’ -materials and tools. I have often been gratified that I graduated from -the Vienna Academy of Arts and Crafts as a sculptor, and many of my -jewels I consider examples of the sculptor’s art. - -It is, then, fair to say that the jewelry of our grandmothers was -conceived somewhat as a mid-nineteenth century picture, symmetrical, -flat, and often stiff, whereas the jewelry of today is built out into -three dimensions. There are three keynotes of modern jewelry design: -height, airiness and grace of movement. Literally as well as emotionally, -a modern jewel is a moving work of art. - -It is naturally impossible to indicate all the designs in which jewelry -can be remodelled. In considering the separate types of jewel, from -earclips to brooches, I have indicated what is becoming to various -personalities. Beyond this, there must be the judgment of good taste, -based on the need and the jewels with which the newly fashioned one will -be worn, whether of a classical, modern or neutral (such as a flower) -motif. Beyond all these, it must be recognized that remodelling jewelry -calls first for the imagination of the artist and then for the skill -of the craftsman. The wearer or the purchaser—or both—may have ideas, -but they should be put to the test through the eyes of an experienced -jeweler. - - -_The Jeweler as Artist_ - -It is an easy matter to select a jeweler when one is purchasing something -new. A woman may just window-shop along the avenue, then drift into a -reliable store. She finds a jewel she likes and her husband does not -object to the price. - -With a remodelling project, there are many more concerns. From the purely -practical point of view, the woman must be sure the jeweler is thoroughly -reliable. He has to remove the gems from their setting. He must clean, -count, weigh, and register them, and see that she gets the same stones -back. The jeweler must be not a salesman but an experienced craftsman, -able to recognize the possibilities inherent in the stone. He should -be able to visualize various new settings and to decide in which of -these the stone will be most favorably dressed. He should have a flair -for fashion, so that the new setting, while up to the minute, does not -quickly grow behind the times. - -The designer should be one to whom each jewel is a new challenge. The -problem must engage his enthusiasm, must make him eager to create, out -of the piece of jewelry he is shown, something more beautiful and more -becoming. He must look upon his task with a sense of responsibility -akin to that of the old master of the guild, who gloried not in his -wealth but in the competence of his craftsmen. In short, whatever the -financial transactions involved, the person who is to be entrusted with -the remodelling of a jewel should regard it not as a merchant but as an -artist. - - -_Varied Stones_ - -It may be a good idea to complement the existing stones in a jewel with -some extra stones of different cut. Diamonds of special or fancy cut add -a modern note at once, for in previous years the use of such stones was -virtually unknown. In all likelihood, the jewel will be enhanced by the -addition of some baguette diamonds. This cut makes a most versatile gem. -It has been incorporated into virtually every modern jewel that makes -use of precious stones, for it gives the designer scope for otherwise -unattainable modulations. By using stones of such fancy or varied cut, -the jeweler achieves in his creation contrasts in the reflection of the -light that give new play to the sparkle and new depth and beauty to the -jewel. - - -_Varied Treatment_ - -It is by no means necessary for the woman who takes a jewel to be -remodelled to think of the new piece in terms of the same sort of jewel. -“Once a gentleman always a gentleman,” said Dickens, and a good thing -if it were so. But it does not follow that “Once an earclip always -an earclip” is an equally desirable or inevitable pattern, or that a -bracelet should be condemned to endure forever as a band around the arm. - -The stones from a pair of earrings may well be remodelled into the center -stones of a bracelet. An old bracelet, on the other hand, may become a -parure: earclips, dress or hair clip, and a ring. An old pendant may -have stones that can be beautifully reset as earclips and a brooch, and -countless other variations and transformations need little more than the -imagination and the desire. - - -_Remodelling of Watches_ - -Many a bureau drawer or jewel box holds more than one discarded wrist -watch. The setting may be of diamonds or other gems, but the style is -passé. This jewel may be brought out and remodelled into a fresh and -beautiful piece. - -It should not, however, be thought of as the centerpiece in a gold bangle -bracelet. Set against the stiff gold, it will not be improved, but will -the more clearly proclaim that it is old-fashioned. Instead, the jeweler -should consider the possibility of centering the diamond wrist watch -in an important diamond and pearl bracelet. If the watch movement is -still in good condition, the watch can be incorporated in the bracelet -so cleverly that the functional aspect of the timepiece will be wholly -subordinate to, if not lost in, the beauty of the jewel. - - -_Adding Pearls_ - -Pearls are perhaps the most adaptable of reformers among the gems. The -addition of cultured pearls can be most helpful in restoring the beauty -of an outmoded jewel. If the diamonds in the old piece are not many or -not large, and a more important or imposing jewel is desired—without the -purchase of new precious stones—the jeweler should be able to suggest -various new designs in which the sole additions are cultured pearls. - -Even the engagement ring is susceptible to flattering new treatment. The -fact that the band may have grown too small provides a good occasion -for remodelling. In a dome-shaped arrangement of cultured pearls the -centered solitaire becomes a more significant gem, never more precious -but considerably more imposing. - - -_Infinite Riches in a Little Room_ - -Thus the little old jewel is capable of infinite surprises. The woman who -has never had one of her jewels remodelled just has to admire a new piece -of one of her friends and be told it is an old one remodelled: “Remember -that diamond brooch I used to wear?” Remembering the “before” and -beholding the “after,” a woman’s eyes will light with a new recognition. -The old jewels were, in the main, massy with metals. The new ones are -graced with an airy technique of jewel design. It is no commercial slogan -but experienced truth that the light modern patterns make the jewel -more beautiful and the wearer more gracefully young. And the husband, -who was last to yield and permit that “waste of time and money” called -a remodelling, will be the first to sense the new beauty and importance -of the jewel, and to extend his admiring praise. He will be touched that -the old stones, with their sentimental attachment, meant enough for them -still to be desired as current jewels; he will be delighted that the -remodelling has brought new ornaments at the cost of merely the setting, -not the stones; and by the effect on the jewel and on the wearer, he will -be entranced. - - - - -PART FIVE - -_The Story of Rings and Famous Stones_ - - - - -CHAPTER 16 - -_Romance of Rings_ - - -_The Universal Ring_ - -Of all the jewels of history, most widespread in time and space, and upon -the human body is the ring. From the crown of the head to the tip of the -toes, the circular band has been an adornment and a symbol. In the ears, -around the neck, tight about the biceps, loose about the wrist, across -the chest, around the waist, in iron fetters at the ankle in days of -old to indicate the slave or in the self-imposed “slave anklet” of thin -gold today: men and women have worn rings of grass, of wood, of bone, -of metal. But especially upon the fingers there have been all sorts of -rings, for many purposes. - - -_The Magic Ring_ - -One of the earliest values found in rings was doubtless magic. This -worked in many ways, according to the beliefs of different times and -peoples. Simply to put a ring on another person’s finger was to bind that -person to you—an early magical belief which has endured as a symbol in -the engagement and the wedding ring. To protect the wearer against the -powers of evil in the world, rings are adorned with potent gems, or -carved with potent symbols. Turn the emerald in a ring on a poised snake, -and the snake was stricken blind, as the nineteenth-century poet Moore -remembers in _Lalla Rookh_: - - Blinded like serpents when they gaze - Upon the emerald’s virgin blaze. - -The snake itself, being associated with the sybils and other prophets of -old and linked with man in earliest Bible story and man’s most fateful -hour, is also a most potent and frequent device. It might be carved upon -the ring, or the whole ring itself might represent a serpent, eating its -own tail—like the worm Ouroboros that winds around the world and keeps it -from bursting asunder—or with its head nestling upon its body, watching -for the approach of danger. Being itself a lurking danger, the snake -obviously was most fit to search out hidden evil. A snake ring of gold -with ruby eyes was often on the finger of George IV of England. - - -_Divining Rings_ - -Rings of hieroglyphic symbols, the sphinx, or later cabalistic devices, -were used by diviners and seers. Sometimes, to the unwitting eye, the -ring seemed an innocent adornment; when a soothsayer wished to make -use of a magic formula, a cunningly hinged portion opened to reveal -the mystical designs. In the Middle Ages, rings of astrologers and -soothsayers multiplied. Rings with signs of the zodiac were used to cast -a nativity. The powers of numbers were explored and exploited on rings. -The word ABRAXAS, frequent on rings of the time, is said to have drawn -its special power from the number force of the letters, which add up to -365 and thus encompass the entire year. Perhaps that is why Leap Year is -said to be unlucky for men. - -A common design, born no doubt of the early sphinx, was the figure -of a fantastic monster compounded of many beasts. Imagination created -many of these hybrid and extremely powerful forms. Associated with the -ABRAXAS was a creature with the head of a cock, the body of a man with -outstretched hands holding a shield and a whip, the legs spread out and -becoming serpents with darting fangs. Especially sought for security -against shipwreck was a ring engraved with a human head adorned with an -elephant’s trunk grasping a trident, symbol of mastery over the sea. - - -_Renaissance Remedy Rings_ - -The Renaissance, resplendent with rings, made many to be used as amulets -to bring good fortune, or charms to ward off evil. Cellini made several -such for his noble patrons; they seemed, however, not to stem the tide of -sudden deaths. Against various vindictive powers special gems were once -more utilized, jacinth to bring good fortune to voyagers, sapphires to -keep the eyes keen (as some today employ the humbler carrot), garnet to -soothe the bite of hornet or wasp. - -The common people, even more afflicted by the pains of life, also sought -these ringed remedies. The toadstone ring was deemed effective. Several -actual stones have since been called by this name—no one knows precisely -what it was—but the effective ones were generated by the toad, possibly -as nature’s compensation for the creature’s ugliness. The toadstone -was credited, as the Oxford Dictionary puts it, “with alexipharmic or -therapeutic virtues.” The best known allusion to the toadstone is in -Shakespeare’s _As You Like it_, when the banished Duke in the forest -reflects upon his state: - - Sweet are the uses of adversity, - Which like the toad, ugly and venomous, - Wears yet a precious jewel in his head. - -It must by no means be thought that the toadstone is merely a literary -fiction. Queen Elizabeth, on her Progress in 1558, was given a “toade -stone set in golde.” Sir Walter Scott, in 1812, called it “sovereign for -protecting new-born children and their mothers from the power of the -fairies.” Against fairies, perhaps the toadstone worked. - -More questionable was the power of a ring against specific diseases, -although to the edge of this century country folk in rustic parts, as in -back-lying Suffolk, wore special rings that were blessed against cramps. - -A more mechanical method of using rings in witchery or divination has -been to pitch or spin them, or to suspend them and let them swing, in -such a way as to have them indicate Yes or No; or, by falling upon -haphazardly arranged letters, spell out a message. - - -_Visibility Rings_ - -Legends of rings that make one invisible are universal. An unusually -potent one, we are told in a tale of medieval Europe, was given by the -Queen Mother to Otnit, King of Lombardy, when he set out to seek the hand -of the Soldan’s daughter. In addition to making him invisible at will, -the ring always foiled his detractors by indicating to the owner the -right road toward his destination. - -A ring set with a carbuncle possessed the opposite property, of making -one visible in pitch dark. Thus, in Shakespeare’s _Titus Andronicus_ when -Martius looks into the deep pit and cries that Bassianus is lying there, -his comrades ask how he can see, and he replies: - - Upon his bloody finger he doth wear - A precious ring that lightens all the hole, - Which like a taper in some monument - Doth shine upon the dead man’s earthy cheeks - And shows the rugged entrails of the pit. - - -_Religious Rings_ - -The early magician or medicine man, when he became the priest, did not -relinquish his ring. As far back as we find traces of worship, we find -religious uses of the ring. Their pious symbolism was perhaps most fully -detailed by Pope Innocent III, when on May 29, 1205 he sent to King John -of England four golden rings each set with a colored stone, and explained -their symbolism in this way: The endless shape of the ring reminds us -of eternity, and that we are all journeyers through time to eternity. -The number of rings equals the four virtues that comprise constancy of -mind: justice, fortitude, prudence, and temperance. The metal signifies -wisdom from on high, which is as gold purified by fire. The four stones -are an emerald, green emblem of faith; a sapphire, blue emblem of hope; a -garnet, red emblem of charity; and a topaz, bright emblem of good works. -The four rings, the four stones, the metal, and the shape, make ten -aspects: ten is the perfect number, being the unity of nature plus the -trinity of God multiplied and fructified by itself. - -The religious symbolism of rings has not lapsed. Even today the Pope -wears the traditional _annulus piscatoris_, the Fisherman’s Ring, which -shows St. Peter in a boat, casting a net to haul in the faithful from the -waters of the world. Clerics of various ranks and orders wear special -rings. Nuns wear a ring to signify their symbolic marriage to Jesus. - -Less common today, but used throughout Europe for centuries, is the -reliquary ring. This band bears a small cabinet, case, compartment, -or box, usually elaborately carved and bejeweled, within which was a -splinter of the True Cross or the holy relic of a martyred saint. - -We shall speak later of the wedding ring, which while a social is also -a religious symbol. Annually on Ascension Day the Doge of Venice sets a -wedding ring onto a finger of the sea, to denote that the Adriatic is -servant to the city just as a wife is to her mate. - - -_Practical Rings_ - -From earliest times, too, rings have been enlisted for more prosaic -duties. Signet rings have served romantic ends in history and legend, as -well as supplying the king’s or the merchant’s identifying seal. Noblemen -slain in battle have oftentimes been identified by their rings, which -bore the crests of their noble houses. Until recently every Chinese -scholar and mandarin wore a ring, or carried a little ornamented bar of -ivory or jade, topped with intaglio symbols that stamped his name. Such -stamps are to be seen on many paintings, and at the end of passages of -calligraphy. - -The practice of sealing envelopes with stamped wax is no longer a -widespread western custom, and even red tape has lost its redder seal; -hence the signet ring, once most common among men, has been largely -replaced by rings bearing the insignia of a high school or college class -or a fraternal order. - -Among other practical uses of finger rings may be mentioned their use as -money by the Gauls and other tribes of northern Europe. Women have had -mirrors set in their rings, to give them constant glimpses of beauty—or -a chance for quick repair. In eighteenth-century England and later—my -grandfather wore one—were rings capped with a little hammer to press the -tobacco down in pipes. - -And there were rings for fighting. Roman gladiators added iron rings -to the power of their fists, sometimes even enlarging these with a bar -across the entire back of the hand, held by a leather thong across the -palm—predecessors of the infamous “brass knuckles.” - - -_Poison Rings_ - -Even more sinister, though mainly obsolete except in spy stories, is the -murderous poison ring. In some such rings, the poison could be ejected -through a tiny aperture in a point of the design, as in the lion’s claw -of a ring of Cesare Borgia’s. This point would normally be on the side of -the ring at the back of the hand, but it would be slipped around to the -palm outstretched to shake the hand of the unsuspecting victim. A firm -pressure of greeting became at once goodbye. - -Another of the Borgias, Pope Alexander VI, would ask the man he destined -to death to open a cabinet for him. He gave the man a key ring, and as -the bar twisted in the massive lock, a prick injected the poison into the -pressing hand. - -More frequent than these pressing devices, however, were rings with a -secret compartment or concealed receptacle that could be opened, to pour -out the poison, so that it might be mixed unnoticed when one was filling -a glass of wine for an unwanted guest. - -This type of ring was also most useful for emergency suicides. When the -great Carthaginian commander Hannibal was captured by the Romans in 183 -B.C., he ended his life by biting into the soft metal cap of his ring -which was filled with poison. In 1794 the French philosopher Condorcet, -arrested in the Revolution, made his exodus from a world in turmoil -through the aid of a poison ring. Numerous accounts of international -espionage in recent wars make it seem that, as a release from torture and -psychological brainwashing, the suicidal use of the poison ring is not -outworn. But many a ring, originally constructed to conceal a poison, -before it found rest in a museum was used as a conveyor of perfume. - -A more humdrum use of the ring has been not to end but to mark the -passing hours. The first time-keeping ring was a miniature sundial. As -soon as escapements were compact enough, watches were set as the crowns -of rings; I have mentioned that two hundred years ago Mme. de Pompadour -wore a watch in a gold ring encircled with diamonds. - - -_Honorary Rings_ - -A ring has often been used as a mark, token, or reward of distinction -or great service. Originally for valor in battle, these rings are now -used to mark distinction in many fields. In Germany for generations, the -greatest actor has worn the Ifflandring, which he takes from his hand to -bestow upon the performer of the next generation whom he deems his most -worthy successor. Another noted ring is the Mozart Ring, awarded to those -who meritoriously continue the composer’s tradition. There are today but -three wearers of the Mozart Ring: Bruno Walter, Herbert von Karajan, and -Carl Boehm. - - -_Posies and Lovers’ Rings_ - -The prettiest rings are those that have been used in courtship. Before -the brilliant solitaire, the large diamond that marks the formal -engagement, all sorts of posy rings, as they were called, were popular -gifts for centuries. An English book of 1624 bears the title “Love’s -Garland, or Posies for rings, handkerchiefs, and gloves, and such pretty -tokens as lovers send their loves.” This was in the main a collection -of little rhyming remarks or pithy sayings, to be engraved on rings, -or on the inside of ring bands when the ring itself was decorated with -stones in the form of flowers or lovers’ knots. A favorite was the Latin -motto _Amor vincit omnia_, (Love conquers all), which Chaucer in _The -Canterbury Tales_ put on a bracelet of the Prioress. But simple English -phrases abounded on these rings. “I am yours” is blunt enough to serve. -“My love is true To none but you” might make a suspicious maiden (but -what shy maid in love would question so?) wonder to how many the donor -had already shown love that was false. More to be trusted, perhaps, is -the pious soul that sent the motto: “In God and thee My joy shall be.” A -wit (or a gambler) might complacently have inscribed “I cannot show The -love I O.” A less wary but more learned fellow might proclaim, inside the -ring: “Let reason rule affection.” The practice of having rings engraved -with such posies was so common that in Shakespeare’s _As You Like It_ the -melancholy Jacques taunts Orlando: - - “You are full of pretty answers. Have you not been acquainted - with goldsmiths’ wives, and conned them out of rings?” - -I quote Shakespeare not because he is the most given to such references, -but because he is the best known of the many writers in whose works they -abound: jewels in jeweled phrases. - -In other forms than posies, rings carry the language of love. They may, -of course, in engraved letters or letters shaped of stones, give the -initials or the name of the beloved. Or letters may record a significant -event in the course of the courtship, as when a cryptically boastful -Frenchman set a ring with the letters LACD, which pronounced in French -sound “Elle a cédé”—“She has yielded!” - -More subtly and more sentimentally such announcements may be made, -moments recorded, or feelings expressed, through the initial letters of -the gems. Thus a beloved named Adele might be given a ring with stones -set in the following order: amethyst, diamond, emerald, lapis lazuli, -emerald; the first letters of the names of the stones spell her name. -A favorite such token is one arranged so that the initial letters of -the stones spell “Regard Love”; hence, these have sometimes been called -regard rings. Rings have been used to express sentiment less soft, as -well; politically minded Irish, in Revolution times, were wearing rings -that spelled Repeal. - -For those with the enthusiasm and the funds, almost an entire alphabet -of gem stones can be used. Omitting duplicates, one may run along, to -spell one’s message, with amber, bloodstone, carnelian, diamond, emerald, -fluorite, garnet, hyacinth, indicolite, jasper, kunzite, lapis lazuli, -moonstone, nephrite, opal, pearl, quartz, ruby, sapphire, turquoise, -variscite, willemite, zircon. This fashion of conveying one’s sentiments -has never grown obsolete and is continually renewed. - - -_The Nuptial Ring_ - -When courtship reaches the more definite stage of betrothal, rings are -still the order of the day. As early as the second century B. C. the -Romans, whose marriages were not love matches but family affairs, gave -formal engagement rings. A study of Shakespeare reveals forty-five -references to rings and jewels, eleven being of Queen Elizabeth’s -favorite, the pearl. For example, betrothal rings are exchanged by -Troilus and Cressida; and such an exchange builds the sunrise comedy -scene at the close of _The Merchant of Venice_. For friends, the _fede_ -(faithful) ring developed, a band of gold representing clasped hands. For -lovers, the gimmal or gemmal, the twin ring, was popular; this consisted -of two rings intimately intertwined, which ingeniously came apart so that -each lover could wear half of the pair. - -Climax of the deft pursuit and fond allure, the wedding ring has always -been a treasured symbol. An early ecclesiastic told why: “The form of the -ring being circular, that is, round and without end, importeth thus, that -mutual love and heartfelt affection shall roundly flow from one to the -other, as in a circle, continuously and forever.” - -Although the wedding ring for a long time was invariably of gold, -fashions in recent years have been changing. Our grandmothers were -proud to wear a plain wide band. After the First World War, when gold -gravitated toward Fort Knox, the bands grew narrower and platinum wedding -rings were introduced. The gold itself, instead of a plain band, might be -drawn as though the ring were fashioned of strands, or hammered into tiny -bars with corners around the circle, in various modernistic patterns. The -practice also began of using diamonds in wedding rings; never one large -brilliant, outthrust like the happy engagement solitaire, but a row of -smaller stones inset, almost flush with the band. Today the plain wide -wedding band is circling back into favor, along with the olden practice -of putting a ring on the finger not only of the bride but of the groom. -It is a mutual compact. - -In ancient times, much more elaborate rings were used for the ceremony, -sometimes so large that immediately after the wedding they were put -aside, replaced by smaller rings, and put on again only at the burial -day. Among the Jews the ring might have an adornment in the shape of a -tower, and be inscribed with the Hebrew words for Good luck, Mazul-tov. - - -_Less Solemn Marriage Rings_ - -Among the country folk in late medieval times, marriage was sometimes -a quickly arranged affair, and rush rings were often used for rushed -marriages. The rush ring weddings, at which a “hedge-priest” officiated, -were intended neither to be legal nor to endure. Some more coarsely -cynical ceremonies were actually held with the assistance of the town -butcher, with the bride and groom standing on opposite sides of a side of -beef, being joined together with the traditional words, “till death do us -part.” - -Among more playful frolics was the practice of the bachelors among the -Renaissance Italians, and the Italianate Englishmen, of wearing an -engagement ring on the hat or in the ear, so as to invite and incite the -maidens. In England, the rings were more often confined to the hand, and -a language of the fingers developed. A ring on the first (little) finger -indicated that the man was seeking a wife; on the second (which we now -call the third finger) that he had found her; on the third, that the -knot had been tied; and on the fourth, that he had every intention of -remaining a bachelor. Similarly, for the woman: first finger, not keeping -company; second finger, engaged; third, married; and fourth, intending to -die a maid. - -It will be noted that in this system the wedding ring did not appear on -what is now the usual finger. And indeed it was only gradually that what -we now call the third finger of the left hand became the permanent choice -for the bond of matrimony. Those who must have reasons have found three -for this choice. - -The first reason is physiological. It developed when various theories -of the blood circulated freely, before the blood itself was known to -circulate. The Romans spoke of the _vena amoris_, the vein of love, but -the idea was earlier expressed by the Greeks, who credited it to the -Egyptians. This vein of love, they declared, connected the third finger -of the left hand directly with the heart, which is the seat, as everyone -knows, of the tender passion. - -The second reason is the product of logical elimination. The analysis -was made by Macrobius, a Roman commentator of the late fourth century. -The thumb, Macrobius declared, is too busy to be set apart for special -dedication. Because of the shape of the hand, the forefinger and the -little finger are only half protected. The middle finger (being in his -time used by mothers as a practical suppository and by doctors for anal -exploration) was too opprobrious. This left only what he called the -_pronubus_, the one “for the nuptial,” which has ever since been called -the ring finger. On the left hand, to indicate the woman’s subjection, it -is the engagement finger. - -The third explanation grows out of old church practice. The bride was -blessed “in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost.” -Starting with the thumb, if the bridegroom touched one finger with each -name, he would complete the trinity with the middle finger, then put the -ring on the next one. That finger is the husband’s to whom the woman owes -allegiance next to God. - -For a long time, it should be mentioned, the wedding ring was worn on the -right hand; sometimes on the little finger, as the least obtrusive; while -in many eastern lands it has been worn upon the thumb. - - -_Counting Fingers_ - -In his _Treatise of Spousals_ written in 1680, Henry Swinburne declared -that the wedding ring “is to be worn on the fourth finger of the left -hand, next unto the little finger.” Since his time there has been -confusion in the counting. - -If we name the fingers, the matter is simple enough: holding the arms -outstretched, palms down, and starting from the inside, we have the -thumb, the index finger (or pointer or forefinger), the middle finger, -the ring finger, and the little finger (or, to use the word borrowed from -children, the pinkie). - -Numbers complicated the picture. Swinburne counted the thumb as the first -finger. The Elizabethans a century before him, as we noted in their -practice of indicating their attitude toward matrimony, counted the -little finger as the first. The common system of counting today starts -not with the thumb, but next to it. Thus the index finger is the first; -and the engagement and the wedding ring adorn the third finger of the -left hand. Perhaps it is wiser to speak of the fingers by their names. -The important thing is that they be fitly adorned. - - -_Memorial Rings_ - -Lighthearted ceremonies were no more than flyspecks on a pattern of -permanent matrimony, with no frills of separation or easy divorce. -Marriages were “made in heaven”; their earthly aspect ended only at the -grave. A married couple had a long time to be fond of or at least to grow -used to one another. Death made a great gap in the pattern of family -life, so that it came to be marked by a memorial ring. The more pious, -indeed, did not await the fearful summons to wear its grim reminder; -many wore mortuary rings that, like the skeleton at the feast, kept -their final fate solemnly in the minds of the living. These might be -shaped with a death’s head, or open to reveal a skeleton or a crucifix. -Or they might present a somber motto: “Breathe pain, death gain,” or the -forthright counsel, “Live to die.” The favorite stone for such rings, of -course, was jet. - -Many a will provided money for the purchase of memorial rings by family -or friends, thus hoping to keep the dead one alive in thoughts. “Bind me -to your hearts with bands of gold.” When Anne of Cleves, divorced wife -of Henry VIII, died in 1557, she left money for memorial rings. In 1616 -William Shakespeare left twenty-six shillings sixpence apiece to Hamnet -Sadler, William Reynolds and “to my fellows,” the actors John Hemynge, -Richard Burbage, and Henry Cundell, to buy them rings in his memory. He -left no other jewels, no books, and his second-best bed to his wife. - -While the 250 odd rings of England’s last King Henry were probably seldom -equalled for one person, a more modest but more representative listing -was given, in 1649, of the rings of a country lady. She possessed, among -other jewels, a toadstone ring, two Turkies (turquoises), six thumb -rings, three alderman’s seals, five gemmels and four death’s heads. -Always, in every period and every guise, the realm of jewelry has been -marked by the reign of the ring. - - - - -CHAPTER 17 - -_Some Famous Stones_ - - -History and fiction throughout the ages find mystery, glamour and romance -in the stories of great jewels. _The Count of Monte Cristo_, one of the -most successful of all romances, has its hero achieve his goal by finding -a hidden treasure of great jewels. _The Queen’s Necklace_, another of -Dumas’ masterpieces, centers its intrigue around a necklace fraudulently -secured, upon which hangs the evidence of Marie Antoinette’s fidelity. Or -one thinks of a marauding foreigner, plucking the great emerald from the -eye socket of an Orient god—then followed, as in Dunsany’s grisly play -_A Night at an Inn_, by the great stone god itself, come to crush the -desecrator and regain its vision. - - -_The Black Prince’s Ruby_ - -The historical stories tell fascinating tales of changes of ownership, -as the gems endure across the dying centuries. In the state crown of -Britain, guarded in the Tower of London, is a stone called the Black -Prince’s ruby. It belonged, when first we hear of it, in 1367, to the -King of Granada. Don Pedro, King of Castille, slew him and took the gem. -But Edward III of England, the monarch who established the Order of the -Garter, had sent Don Pedro some 5,000 men; in thanks for these services, -the triumphant Spaniard sent the ruby to Edward’s son, the Black Prince. -The ruby was pierced at the top, as though it had, back in its unknown -past, been part of a fabulous necklace of an Orient potentate; today, the -hole is filled with a small ruby set in gold. The Black Prince, dying -before his father, left the stone to his son, who became King Richard -II in 1377 and was deposed by Henry IV in 1399 and probably murdered in -the very Tower where the ruby now rests. Henry V, to whom it came in his -turn, wore the stone at the Battle of Agincourt, where against great odds -he defeated the French. After that, it was deemed safer to leave the -gem in London; there it became part of the crown jewels. But the crown -jewels were scattered by the Puritans in 1642, after Cromwell became Lord -Protector. With the Restoration, the Black Prince’s ruby was returned to -the crown and has remained unharmed since—save that modern methods of -examination have revealed that it is not a ruby at all, only a “balas -ruby,” that is, a spinel. - - -_Other Precious Stones_ - -The Stuart sapphire, a great oval an inch and a half by an inch with -a hole near the top, can be removed from the royal crown and used as -a pendant. This sapphire, after James II was deposed by the Bloodless -Revolution of 1688, was carried away from England by the Young Pretender, -who—when he grew older and more sage—bequeathed the sapphire, along with -other Stuart relics, to George III of England. Since then, it has rested -quietly in the crown. - -Other precious stones have had their historic moments or movements. -Catherine the Great of Russia sent thousands of workers into the Ural -mines to hunt for amethysts. Some of Napoleon’s gifts to the Empress -Josephine were of emeralds and pearls. The American Museum of Natural -History holds among its treasures a great star sapphire weighing 563 -carats. - - -_The Crystal Palace_ - -Almost impatiently, however, when great gems are discussed, everyone -turns from the other precious stones to talk of diamonds. At the Crystal -Palace Exhibition in London, the pride of Prince Albert in 1851, stones -of all sorts were on view. The collection of gems from India, the great -subcontinent that was soon to change the Kingdom of Great Britain and -Ireland into an Empire, was stupendous. Queen Victoria noted in her -diary: “The girdle of nineteen emeralds is beautiful, all set round with -diamonds and fringed with pearls. The rubies are even more wonderful -and one is the biggest in the world ... I shall certainly make them -Crown Jewels.” Among the pieces exhibited by the lapidaries of Calcutta -were strange creations never seen in the western world before: gowries -(“blackamoors’ teeth”), golden gothas, ferozahs, a gallobund set with -diamonds, and other wonders that have since fallen out of the dictionary. -There were also educational exhibits, new and world-shaking inventions -like Nasmyth’s steam-propelled engine, the Folkestone express locomotive, -and McCormack’s reaping machine from America. But the gaping crowd passed -by all these prizes to gather and stare before the diamonds. - - -_The Diamonds_ - -There were diamonds for which there should have been automation to count -the value. The great collection of Henry Thomas Hope and his son was -displayed, all the glory of their Hope chest, including the mysterious -blue stone that came to be called the Hope diamond. There on white velvet -lay the great Black Diamond of Bahia, weighing 350 carats, so hard that -no one had been able to shape it with facets. And there, not far from a -replica of the ship that had just brought it from India, was shown for -the first time in England what the catalogue called “the great diamond of -Runjeet Singh called the Mountain of Light or the Koh-in-noor.” This is -what the millions came to see. (They were disappointed by the sight, for -the diamond had been poorly cut and did not reveal all its brilliance.) -The Kohinoor lay on a velvet cushion in an iron bird cage on an iron -pedestal. When the doors of the Crystal Palace closed each night, wheels -began to turn, and the bird cage descended into the pedestal. Safe from -all the itching fingers of international thiefdom, the Kohinoor rested in -its cage. - - -_The Kohinoor_ - -Mountain of light! The Kohinoor. First worn in the crown, perhaps, of a -great ruler in India five thousand years ago. The Koh-i-nur, or Mountain -of Light, was next heard of as a great companion to the Darya-i-Nor, the -Sea of Light, in the scabbard of Afrasiab around 3,000 B.C. Such are the -fabulous stones of ancient times, which Tennyson called - - —Jewels five words long, - That on the stretched forefinger of all Time - Sparkle forever. - -We are told that the great diamond weighed 700 carats; but, when its -modern career began, it had been severed and weighed only 186 carats. -In 1304 A.D. the stone was in the family of the Rajah of Malwa in India -from whence most of the early diamonds had come. In the early sixteenth -century, it was seized as a trophy of war by Beber, first of the Mogul -emperors. This long and mighty line, including Shah Jehan who built -the Taj Mahal for the jewel of his harem, preserved the great diamond. -Jehan set it as one of the eyes of his Peacock Throne. Through the long -years of the Mogul Empire, the legend grew that he who owns this diamond -rules the world. But all dynasties fall and in 1739 Mohammed Shah, Mogul -of Delhi, was conquered by Nadir Shah of Persia. Although the defeated -Mogul managed to keep possession of his diamond he could not keep control -of his harem. In a group of women there is bound to be one who curries -favor with the champion, and one of Mohammed Shah’s harem whispered to -the Persian king that the diamond lay hidden in her master’s turban. The -etiquette of the day gave the shrewd monarch his opening. The treaty of -peace having been signed, the Persian invited the Mogul to dinner and -there, admiring his guest’s turban, suggested that they exchange. It was -impossible to refuse. In his room, unwinding the silken yards, Nadir Shah -saw the great diamond. It lay on the floor, an enormous cone-shaped gem, -and he exclaimed “Mountain of Light!”—Koh-i-nur!—thus giving the stone -its name. - -The legendary power of the stone declined, for it changed hands more -times than history records. Nadir Shah was murdered by one of his -bodyguards, whose most ingenious tortures could not wring the whereabouts -of the diamond from the dead king’s son. It passed on through two -generations, until Shah Suja was forced to flee for asylum to the court -of Runjit Sing, the Lion of the Punjab, at Lahore (now part of Pakistan). -The price of Suja’s safety was the delivery of the Kohinoor to Runjit -Sing. And here it was in 1849, when the East India Company and the -British took control. As partial indemnity for the damages of the Sikh -wars, the Company took the stone, presenting it to Queen Victoria the -next year at the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Founding of -the East India Company by Queen Elizabeth I. - -After its exhibition at the Crystal Palace, Queen Victoria decided to -have the Kohinoor recut to improve its sparkle. She decided on brilliant -faceting. A four-horse-power steam engine was set up in the workshop of -the crown jewelers to turn the cutting wheel. Prince Albert set the stone -on the mill, and the Duke of Wellington started the wheel. Thirty-eight -days later, Queen Victoria was given the new-cut diamond, now weighing -only 108 carats but superbly sparkling. - -As the Queen’s power grew—in 1876 she became the first ruler of the -British Empire, on whose flag the sun never set—the legend of the diamond -changed: only queens could wear the gem and prosper. From Victoria it -went to her daughter-in-law, Queen Alexandria, and it is now part of the -treasure of the royal ladies of the British throne. - - -_Tavernier_ - -Jean Baptiste Tavernier was the first of the great travelers who went -to the Orient in search of precious stones. On his voyages he saw and -described many stones that have since been lost to history. They may have -been recut, by illegitimate owners, into smaller stones, or they may be -resting in some hidden treasure store. - - -_The Florentine_ - -Among these lost stones is the Florentine, a clear yellow diamond of 137 -carats, which Tavernier saw among the treasures of the Duke of Tuscany in -1657. Legends say that Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, was wearing -the stone in 1476, when he fell in battle. Picked up by a peasant as -an attractive pebble, the stone was sold for a florin; after various -adventures it fell into the hands of the Medici. Later, when the Grand -Duke of Tuscany married Maria Theresa of Austria, the Florentine became -part of the Austrian crown jewels. It went into exile, after World War I, -with the imperial family, and half a hundred rumors since have set it in -as many hands. - - -_The Great Mogul_ - -Tavernier was probably the only European who ever saw the Great Mogul. -It was shown him by Aurangzeb, sixth Mogul Emperor of Hindustani, who -had usurped the throne in 1658 and imprisoned his father, the great -Shah Jehan. Tavernier said it weighed 280 carats and resembled half an -egg sliced through the middle. He was told it had weighed 787 carats in -the rough, but had been so badly cut that the jeweler, instead of being -paid, had forfeited all his fortune. (Such were the risks conscientious -jewelers ran!) When the Persians sacked Delhi in 1739, the Great Mogul -may have been among their loot. It probably still adorns a beauty in -Iran—unless it turned up in the western world as the Orloff Diamond. - - -_The Orloff_ - -Similar in shape to the Great Mogul but weighing (one can hardly say -“only”) 199 carats, the Orloff was among the more than 2,500 diamonds -owned by Catherine the Great, ruler of all the Russias. One story says -the gem was stolen by a French grenadier from the eye socket of a Hindu -idol and hidden in a self-inflicted leg wound. Such accounts recur in -tales of many jewels. Another story says that it is one of the stones -resulting from the cleavage of the great rough diamond that also produced -the Kohinoor. - -At any rate, it was purchased in Holland in 1774 by the Russian -Count Gregory Orloff for 400,000 rubles ($450,000). The Count had -been a favorite of Catherine’s; she had made him a prince and the -commander-in-chief of her armies. The Court did not mind—or could not -help—the number of Catherine’s lovers; but she seemed on the verge of -actually marrying the Count. Her entourage therefore set their wits to -work, and Orloff fell from favor. For Catherine’s name day, when others -at Court presented the customary bouquets, Orloff gave her the diamond. -His family’s fortune had been pledged for it, but it failed to re-open -Catherine’s arms to him. She never wore the diamond but had it mounted in -her sceptre, right under the double eagle. Under that symbol of imperial -power, it presumably rests in the Kremlin today. A more prosaic version -of the Count’s enterprise states that he assured himself of heart balm by -selling the diamond to Catherine for £90,000 plus a £4,000 life annuity. - - -_The Shah of Persia_ - -Another diamond reported by Tavernier and now reposing in the Kremlin -is an 88-carat bar-shaped stone of finest quality. It has a tiny furrow -cut in it, presumably to secure the cord by which Tavernier, in 1665, -saw it suspended in front of the Mogul throne. It also has engraved on -it three names and dates. The first name is that of an Indian prince, -Bourhan-Nizam Shah II; the date, the year 1000 in the Mohammedan count, -the western 1591. The second engraving, in the western year 1651, sets -this gem as another among the treasures of the great Mogul Shah Jehan. -The third date is western 1824; the owner, the Shah of Persia. - -The Persians possessed the jewel until 1889, when a Teheran mob slew the -Russian ambassador, the thirty-four-year-old playwright Griboyedov. As a -sign of their regret, the Persian royal house sent the Shah Diamond to -Russia, where it has remained. - - -_The Great Table_ - -Another stone that Tavernier was the only European to look upon is the -Great Table Diamond, sometimes called the White Tavernier. This 242-carat -stone is described by the French traveler: “When at Golconda in 1642, I -was shown this stone, and it is the largest diamond I have ever seen in -India in the hands of merchants. The owner allowed me to make a model of -it in lead, which I sent to Surat to two of my friends, telling them of -its beauty and the price, namely, 500,000 rupees. I received an order -from them, that if it was clean and of fine water, I should offer 400,000 -rupees; but it was impossible to purchase it at that price.” The asking -price was about $280,000, for want of which the Great Table has totally -disappeared. - -The table cut—which was virtually discontinued after 1520, when the rose -cut grew popular—sliced the gem into a flat slab, sometimes so thin that -the diamond was used as a “portrait stone,” set over a miniature painting. - - -_The Blue Tavernier_ - -One diamond that Tavernier brought back from his travels was a blue -diamond, roughly heart-shaped, of 112 carats. He sold it in 1668 to Louis -XIV of France. It was recut as a slightly pointed drop, being reduced in -the process to 68 carats. Louis XV set the diamond in his Order of the -Golden Fleece. It was also worn by Louis XVI but was among the treasures -of the royal house that disappeared at the beginning of the French -Revolution in the great crown jewel robbery. Of these, only the Regent -and the Sancy were recovered. - -The fate of the Blue Tavernier is in doubt. One story runs that the -insignia of the Order of the Golden Fleece were smuggled to England, -where later this diamond was recut. A one-carat blue diamond, last heard -of in London, is supposed to have come from the tip. A second stone is a -blue drop diamond that came into the possession of the Duke of Brunswick. -The third and largest cut is the Hope Diamond. - - -_The Hope_ - -Without any guarantee of this past history, Henry Thomas Hope in 1836 -bought a superb blue diamond of 44 carats. Blue diamonds are exceedingly -rare; the nearest in weight to the Hope Diamond are the Brunswick -diamond, mentioned just above, of almost 14 carats, and a 35-carat stone, -the Wittlesbach, exhibited in London in 1930. - -The Hope Diamond was willed by Lady Hope, in 1887, to her daughter’s son -on condition that he adopt the family name. He became Lord Francis Pelham -Clinton Hope. In 1894 he married the American actress May Yohe who wore -the diamond when she sang in the music halls. It is said to have been -part of the “stage jewelry” listed among her belongings when her trunks -were held for a lodging debt, but it was returned to the Hope family. - -In 1908 the gem was bought for $400,000 by Abdul Hamid, Sultan of Turkey. -With the breath of revolution on his neck, the Sultan three years later -sent it to Paris to be sold. It became part of the famed collection of -Mrs. Edward B. McLean, whose gems dazzled Washington, D. C., for almost -forty years. After her death, it was bought in 1949 by Harry Winston, -noted diamond merchant of New York. - - -_The Jehan Akbar Shah_ - -This diamond deserves distinction as the second great eye of the Peacock -Throne of the Mogul Emperors. It was engraved with the names of Shah -Akbar and his grandson, Shah Jehan. It weighed 116 carats. After Shah -Jehan was deposed by his son in 1666, the stone disappeared. Precisely -two hundred years later it was shown in Constantinople as the Shepherd -stone. Recognized by the inscriptions, the diamond was bought by an -English merchant. In London, it was recut to 71 carats, losing the -inscriptions and sold to the Gaekwar of Baroda. - - -_The Cullinan_ - -The largest diamond ever discovered was found in 1905 in the Premier Mine -in South Africa, which had been opened by Sir Thomas Cullinan. The rough -stone, weighing 3,106 carats, about one and a third pounds, was bought by -the Transvaal Government and presented to King Edward VII of England, in -1907, on his sixty-sixth birthday. - -The Cullinan was sent to Amsterdam to be cut. There, after months of -study, the expert set the cleaving blade on the diamond and tapped it -with a heavy rod. The blade broke. On the second try, the expert fainted. -He recovered to find the great diamond split precisely as planned. -Out of the great Cullinan came nine major gems and ninety-six smaller -brilliants. The greatest of the cuttings, called the Great Star of -Africa, weighs 530 carats, and is the largest cut diamond in the world. -It adorns the sceptre of the British Empire. The other large stones are -also part of the British Crown jewels. - - -_The Excelsior_ - -Mention should be made of the Excelsior, a diamond of 995 carats, -found in the Orange Free State in 1893 and, until the discovery of -the Cullinan, the largest diamond known. The Excelsior was noticed by -accident, seen by a native in a shovelful of gravel he was pitching onto -a truck. - -The stone was cut in 1903 by the same firm, Asscher of Amsterdam, that -later cut the Cullinan; but the cutting is unique in that all the -resulting stones—twenty-one gems—are either pear-shaped or marquise. - - -_The Regent_ - -The Regent Diamond, like the Blue Tavernier, was stolen from the French -royal treasures at the brink of the Revolution, but unlike the others -this gem was recovered and restored to its place in France. A superb -stone, the diamond weighed 410 carats in 1701, when it was picked up -by a slave in the Partial Mines of India. The slave, following storied -precedent, gashed his leg and hid the stone in the bandage. He limped -his way to the seacoast. There he offered to share the proceeds of the -sale of the stone with a sea captain; but unfortunately the slave did not -survive the rigors of the ocean voyage, and the ship’s arrival in Bombay -found the captain in sole possession of the stone. - -From an Indian merchant it was bought by Thomas Pitt, then Governor -of Madras, and sent to England to be cut. Political enemies bruited -abroad that he had obtained the stone by questionable means; though -they never got to the core of the matter, he became known as Diamond -Pitt. He sold the diamond in 1717 to the Duke of Orleans, then Regent of -France, for about $500,000, which kept the family in affluence through -several generations. But at any moment in the political careers of the -great English statesman, William Pitt the Elder and William Pitt the -Younger—major figures in the struggles with the American colonies and the -American Revolution—there might be dragged out, as a political target, -that family skeleton about the coming of the Pitt Diamond to England. - -The Pitt Diamond, now renamed the Regent, was cut into a cushion-shaped -brilliant of 140 carats, a superbly sparkling specimen of a great gem -deftly handled. Marie Antoinette used it to adorn a large black velvet -hat she favored, borrowing it from the crown of Louis XV. But it remained -with the royal jewels until they were all stolen in 1792. - -Found in a Paris garret, the diamond came to Napoleon, who pawned it to -secure funds for his triumphant campaigns. After using the stone in this -fashion several times, he had it set into the hilt of his ceremonial -coronation sword. - -When Napoleon went into exile, the stone accompanied his second wife, -Marie Louise, to the Chateau of Blois. Her father, the Emperor of -Austria, returned it to Louis XVIII. The diamond shuttled between the -Napoleons and the Louis until France became a republic. When the French -crown jewels were auctioned in 1886, the Regent Diamond was withheld from -the sale. - -By lying quietly behind a stone panel of a chateau in Chambord, the -Regent escaped capture by the Germans in the Second World War. It is now -on display in the Louvre where, like the Kohinoor cage at the Crystal -Palace, its case sinks nightly into a burglar-proof vault. - - -_The Sancy_ - -The Sancy and the Regent are the only jewels of the French royal treasure -that were recovered after the robbery of 1792. Legend has confused the -early story of the Sancy stone with that of the Florentine Diamond, -but it has had enough vicissitudes to make an historic tale. A superb -and fiery stone of 54 carats, one of the first ever cut in symmetrical -facets, the diamond was bought in Constantinople, about 1570, by the -French Ambassador to Turkey, the Seigneur de Sancy. Back at the court -of his king, vicious and vain Henry III, Sancy was constrained to lend -the diamond to his monarch, who set it in the cap he wore to cover his -baldness. - -The shrewd successor to the throne, Henry IV, made Sancy the Minister of -Finance, and the again borrowed diamond was used as security to raise -troops. The stone was sent to the moneylenders in Metz; but the messenger -was waylaid and slain. The diamond vanished. Sure of the man’s loyalty, -Sancy recovered the body and had an autopsy performed; and from the -stomach of the faithful servant the diamond was recovered. - -Wary of further loans, Sancy sold the diamond to Queen Elizabeth I of -England. It stayed with the royal house until Charles I was beheaded. The -Earl of Worcester, to whom Charles’ widow had entrusted it, returned it -when the monarchy was restored. In the second Revolution in 1688, James -II took it to France. There, after a time, it passed from the royal exile -to his diamond-hungry host, Louis XIV. Again the gem stayed with a royal -house until the turbulence of revolution; the Sancy, along with the other -royal treasures, was stolen in the tumultuous days of 1792. - -For almost forty years the Sancy’s story is hidden. In 1828 it turned -up in hands that sold it to Prince Demidoff of Russia, husband of the -Princess Mathilde, niece of Napoleon Bonaparte. Many of this Princess’ -jewels were designed by Louis François Cartier, whose creations she made -popular at the court of the Empress Eugénie, thus giving impetus to the -young House of Cartier. - -But at this point the story of the Sancy Diamond takes a double path. -Sold to the Maharajah of Patiala and set in platinum, it remains part of -the treasure of the land from which it first came. So goes the story. But -either the Sancy diamond or a mysterious twin is worn by the former Nancy -Langhorne of Virginia, now Lady Astor. - -What further wars such gems may survive, and what owners they may be -cherished by, in the coming centuries, future historians may tell. - - -_Out of the Earth_ - -From the dull earth comes the bright sparkle of the diamond. Early -prospectors, as gold-hunters panned the streams, sifted the surface -gravel. When likely spots were located, men and machines began to dig. At -Kimberly, the mine shaft is more than 3500 feet deep. One diamond may be -secured for each 21 million parts of ore; but gem diamonds in the larger -sizes are so much more rare than industrials or gems in the smaller sizes -that more than 250 tons must be mined to yield a stone that can be cut -and polished into a one-carat gem. - -A purchaser, at the end of this arduous searching, must see to the four -C’s of diamond value. First the weight in carats. Although more labor -goes into the preparing of five one-carat gems than of one five-carat -gem, the single large stone is worth more than the sum of the five. -Comparatively few rough diamonds can be effectively cut into large-carat -stones. - -Second, the clarity. A flawless gem, by official standard, is one in -which no imperfection is visible to the trained eye under tenth-power -magnification. Such a stone can be shaped to fullest brilliance. - -Third, the color. Rarest is the pure colorless diamond, together with the -flawless blue. Slightly yellowish tints are in disfavor, but red again -is extremely rare and highly valued. Of all, the colorless, or white, -diamond, is most likely to be richly responsive to light. - -Fourth, the cut. Not merely how well does the particular cut—brilliant, -marquise, rose, and the rest—become the diamond; but, whatever the -cutting, how well was it made? That is the pertinent question. And -perhaps there should be added to this the matter of the setting—the -degree to which the finished jewel sets off, displays and enhances the -precious stone. - -When these qualities are properly present, when a choice gem in a fine -jewel adorns a fair lady, then one may truly say, in every sense, that -all beholders are privileged to look upon beauty in jewels. - - -Transcriber’s Note: On page 221, the line “revolution, there is no need -to wear more elaborate jewels” was erroneously printed as the first line -of the page. It has been moved to the correct place. 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