Chapter V: Part 5: The Story of Rings and Famous Stones

_Chapter 16: Romance of Rings_ _289_

THE UNIVERSAL RING 289 THE MAGIC RING 289 DIVINING RINGS
290 RENAISSANCE REMEDY RINGS 291 VISIBILITY RINGS 292
RELIGIOUS RINGS 293 PRACTICAL RINGS 294 POISON RINGS 295
HONORARY RINGS 296 POSIES AND LOVERS’ RINGS 296 THE NUPTIAL
RING 298 LESS SOLEMN MARRIAGE RINGS 299 COUNTING FINGERS
301 MEMORIAL RINGS 302

_Chapter 17: Some Famous Stones_ _305_

THE BLACK PRINCE’S RUBY 305 OTHER PRECIOUS STONES 306
THE CRYSTAL PALACE 307 THE DIAMONDS 307 THE KOHINOOR 308
TAVERNIER 310 THE FLORENTINE 310 THE GREAT MOGUL 311 THE
ORLOFF 311 THE SHAH OF PERSIA 312 THE GREAT TABLE 313 THE
BLUE TAVERNIER 313 THE HOPE 314 THE JEHAN AKBAR SHAH 315
THE CULLINAN 315 THE EXCELSIOR 316 THE REGENT 316 THE SANCY
318 OUT OF THE EARTH 319

_List of Illustrations_

_Frontispiece_

THE BIRTHSTONES, COLORPLATES

_Following Page 32_

1. GREEK EARRINGS, 5TH CENTURY B.C.

2. CYPRIOTE PENDANT, 8TH CENTURY B.C.

3. EARLY 18TH CENTURY ITALIAN BROOCH

4. EGYPTIAN BRACELET, 4TH CENTURY B.C.

5. ETRUSCAN RING

6. 18TH CENTURY ITALIAN RING

7. CYPRIOTE RING

8. ROMAN WREATH, 3RD CENTURY B.C.

9. INSIDE VIEW OF THE FAMOUS OLD TIFFANY STORE, NEW YORK, 1875

10. THE CROWNING OF A QUEEN

11. THE BRITISH CROWN JEWELS

12. THE BRITISH CROWN JEWELS

13. REMODELLING THE IMPERIAL STATE CROWN

14. EMPRESS ELISABETH OF AUSTRIA

_Following Page 104_

15. QUEEN ELIZABETH II

16. PEARL AND BAGUETTE DIAMOND EARCLIPS

17. DEEP SEA ALGAE

18. DOUBLE ROSE CLIP

19. DIAMOND AND PEARL LEAVES

20. PEARL AND DIAMOND NECKLACE

21. PEARL RING

22. QUEEN GERALDINE OF ALBANIA

23. DIAMOND NECKLACE

24. DIAMONDS CAUGHT IN A NET

25. NECKLACE FOR A BRIDE

26. DIAMOND PINCUSHION ORNAMENT

27. DIAMOND PINCUSHION ORNAMENT

28. MARIANNE OSTIER

_Following Page 176_

29. MRS. FREDERIC GIMBEL

30. BELLFLOWER BROOCH AND EARCLIPS

31. BRACELET AND ENGAGEMENT RING

32. DESIGN FOR A DIAMOND RING

33. DESIGN FOR A GOLD RING

34. DESIGN FOR A FORMAL DIAMOND AND PLATINUM BRACELET

35. DIAMOND AND PEARL BRACELET

36. DESIGN FOR A BRACELET

37. TREE OF LIFE

38. DESIGN FOR A MULTI-PURPOSE JEWEL

39. AURORA BOREALIS

40. FLOWER FANTASY

41. DIAMOND HAIR ORNAMENT

42. THREE-STRAND PEARL BRACELET

43. MISS BLANCHE THEBOM

44. CANTERBURY BELL

45. GOLD SHELL FOR INFORMAL WEAR

46. FLOWER LAPEL BROOCH

47. MRS. TEX MC CRARY

_Following Page 256_

48. PORTRAIT OF H. H. INDIRA DEVI

49. SPRAY PIN DESIGN

50. DESIGN FOR A DIAMOND CUP

51. DESIGN FOR A DOUBLE CLIP

52. DESIGN FOR A GOLD AND DIAMOND PIN

53. PORTRAIT OF FLIPPY

54. FLORIAN

55. SET OF EARCLIPS AND BROOCH

56. GOLD AND DIAMOND WATCH

57. PEARL NECKLACE WITH TWO DIAMOND MOTIFS

58. TABLE OF DIAMONDS

59. MODELS OF THE KOHINOOR DIAMOND

60. GOLD CIGAR BOX

_Foreword_

“Diamonds,” the song goes, “are a girl’s best friend.” Take special note of the sex; it is significant. For only among humans has the female increasingly become the adorned sex. The mane of the lion or of the stallion gives the male a magnificence beyond the competence of the lioness or the mare. It is the peacock that spreads the studded glory of its tail—not the peahen. As among the birds and beasts, so primitive man was the resplendent sex, while his mate went about her task, in more subdued and humble tones. By the time of the Renaissance—it took that long in civilization’s climb—men and women were about equal in their adornment. In Europe, indeed, only men wore diamonds until 1444, when King Charles VII of France (whom Joan of Arc had placed upon the throne) was captivated by Agnes Sorel’s beauty and daring, when she appeared in a superb necklace of diamonds. The diamond at once became the prized gem of womankind.

The costumes and jewels of the courtiers of Elizabeth I of England were surpassed by those of the Queen only in the measure of her superior station. Since then, however, the attire of men has grown increasingly functional, sedate, and commonplace, while that of women has retained its freedom of color and flow. And the great world of jewelry is preeminently the woman’s domain.

Scientists in several fields have sought the reasons for this change; we may rest content with the fact. A man may be thought distinguished, or perhaps handsome; only a woman may be called beautiful. And by proper adornment of apparel and jewelry, every woman seeks to enhance her beauty.

Certain austere sects frown upon “artificial” aids to beauty. In the hills of Pennsylvania are honest women whose lips and cheeks have never been touched by added color. But such persons are outside the main path of human progress. For the quest of beauty—surely a legitimate and a desirable quest—has taken the same path as the other great adventures of man, which have placed him supreme among all living creatures.

Look at the problem of security. The bear can strike a tremendous blow with his paw. The tiger springs with fierce gash of fang and claw. The eagle pounces with deadly talon and beak. Beside these, how puny the fist of man! But the bear, the tiger, the eagle remain with but these weapons, while man closed his tiny hand around a club, then hurled a spear, then winged his bow with arrows, shot forth his bullets and his bombs. While the animals mark a dead end of evolution, man continued to evolve by “artificial” extensions of his powers.

The same is true in every field. The news of the victory of Marathon was borne by a runner, who coursed the twenty-four miles, gasped out his word of triumph, and dropped dead. Since then man has harnessed the ox, mounted the horse, and surpassed all other creatures in means of travel upon and within the waters, across the earth, high and higher in the air.

So in the realm of beauty. First man painted his naked body. Then he adorned himself with claws and teeth torn from the animals, with feathers plucked from the birds. Soon he discovered the sheen of precious metals, the sparkle of gems. The progress of adornment, from ancient Egypt to the twentieth century world, has been marked by the further discovery and refinement of metals and the design of jewels. Synthetic gems and costume jewelry have given to every woman opportunities once limited to the wealthy few; the principles applicable to the wearing of costly jewels are the same for their less expensive cousins. And the pattern of the quest of personal beauty is in line with the general pattern of human evolution.

Although we have approached beauty through these somewhat solemn reflections, we must not forget that the best reflection of beauty is in the admiring eye of the beholder. It is a mutual pleasure; but it is a personal, an individual task. For it is every woman’s duty—not merely to herself but to those around—to present her fairest aspect to the world.

To the old remark: Love is blind, the cynic has added: But marriage is an eye-opener. Of course, neither statement is true. While love may fasten upon and prize other qualities, the lover is usually keenly aware of the measure of his beloved’s beauty. He takes increasing pride and pleasure as she finds fresh ways of enhancing her natural gifts. There is a lesson hidden in the statement that if a woman is beautiful at fifteen she may thank God, but if she is beautiful at fifty she has herself to thank. The lesson is that a woman can learn what is seemly, what is becoming, what adds to her beauty.

One may look at precious stones and magnificent jewels ranged in a museum or in a store. When they are being worn, we look not so much at them as at the ensemble they help to create of a live alluring woman. The Crown Jewels in the Tower of London are imposing. When they are worn on occasions of state, the court regalia combine to keep them imposing still: it is less a person than a position that they adorn. But with the rest of us mortals, as even with queens in less stately hours, the jewels must fit the person and the personality, as well as the occasion.

What looks most attractive against the dark velvet on a counter may fail to harmonize with golden glinting hair. The size of the earlobe, the figure of the woman, the color of the dress, the activity of the evening, all are factors in determining which jewels one should wear. Jewels have a long history, but always an immediate test of use. In both aspects, they hold an ever present allure.

MARIANNE OSTIER