On Rings

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 22, 21 October 1937, Page 5

On Rings

Romantic Significance Still Attached To Your Choice A RING, according to the Encyclopaedia Britannica, is “a band of circular shape, made of any material and for various purposes, but, particularly, a circular band of gold, silver, or other precious or decorative metal, used as an ornament, not only for the finger, but also for the ear, and even the nose.” However, for the purpose of this article, it will be sufficient to deal with the variety used as an ornament for the finger, aud, more particularly, the type of ring that is used by milady to announce to the world that the object of her affections has said the word aud given her the first of the two shack.es that are commonly supposed to bind him to her, and her to him, for better or for worse. Although it may be fashionable today to talk rather pityingly of the romantic glamour that surrounded the courting of earlier generations, the young woman who likes to be described }ls •■modern” is still sentimental enough to attach very special importance to the selection of her engagement ring as a symbol of love and future happiness. In the past rings were made of many different substances, such as gold, silver, ivory and bone. Though the substance to-day may be very different the honour and sentiment attached to the ring have not changed. Through all the years the engagement ring of diamonds has been the most popular, and it would be difficult indeed to find a substitute for the pure scintillating beauty of those stones. Settings and Arrangement The settings of the stones have changed considerably with the fashions, and whereas gold was once the traditional setting, to-day it is platinum, or perhaps white gold, that is most popular. The arrangement of two, three, or four diamonds of the same size in a straight row was once thought the correct form of ring to choose for the engagement symbol, but nowadays the jewellers say that there is little demand for this type. The most popular and almost universal choice is that of. the solitaire diamond, ~et in platinum, with ornamental shoulders. Sometimes the shoulders are set with smaller stones, or may be made only of ornamental platinum filigree work. The central stone may be square cut, oblong, or rounded, and cut with many facets to catch and reflect the light, or smoothly 1 bevelled toward the centre. The “rose” setting is chosen by many. It may be made with a large central stone surrounded by smaller ones, or may be composed of stones of the same size. For the very romantically minded there is a ring composed of a central diamond surrounded by seven diamonds set in tiny platinum hearts! Another like this is made of two diamonds side bv side in a heart-shaped setting. ' The demand for sapphires comes second to diamonds for engagement rings, according to many jewellers, and after that emeralds, which are, of course, more expensive. The medium or “cornflower” blue sapphire, set amid tiny glistening diamonds, proves to be the most popular arrangement for this lovely stone. The liquid blue depth of the sapphire is much sought after by fair-haired and blue-eyed young women, while the vivid green of the emerald appeals to the brunette, who is able to wear stronger colours.