Jewels and the woman: The romance, magic and art of feminine adornment

by Marianne Ostier

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

33. DESIGN FOR A GOLD RING. This ring of gold wires is set with emeralds and small diamonds.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.