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Title: Jewels and the woman: The romance, magic and art of feminine adornment
Author: Ostier, Marianne
Language: English
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*** Start of this LibraryBlog Digital Book "Jewels and the woman: The romance, magic and art of feminine adornment" ***
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. A few other typos
have been corrected without further note.
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