Engagement Rings.

Mataura Ensign, Issue 166, 23 July 1896, Page 6

Engagement Rings.

In the olden times, when engagerings were known as " fiancial" rings, they were intended to express a sentiment of the giver, instead of merely indicating his income, or, following a prevailing fashion, as is often tho case nowadays. During recent years the diamond solitaire has been the conventional engagement ring, and with worthy reason, for the diamond is the emblem of fidelity ; but the symbolical idea has been too often drowned in the money value, the worth of the lover being gauged by the price of the ring. Therefore, it is refreshing to find that a better taste is begiuning to prevail ; that quaint superstitions are brought into consideration, the histories of precious stones studied, odd old settings copied, aud rings of smallest expense most enthusiastically prized for the sake of a sweet association. In short, the ambition of the fiance of the present is to offer, not the biggest diamond his purse will permit, but the jewel " with a past." The pearl shines with the soft light of romance, but it is not in favor for engagement rings, since it is too delicate for constant service. Shakespeare was fervidly fond of pearls. He bestowed upon them almost extravagant praise, and set them with Oriental fancy about the Egyptian Queen that dissolved the finest pearl in the universe and drank it as a love pledge to the idol of her heart. But, in spite of the fascinating poetical associations of this exquisite gem, hard stones usually take the preference with practical lovers. Opals are rushing into popularity now that superstition is doing them , the justice to declare that they bring good fortune instead of predicting , misfortune. Those from Honduras change color very perceptibly with the temperature of tho body as well as of the air. Therefore, when the wearer is depressed with apprehension or illness, the opal fades, and said to bring reverses, while, really, it merely registers them. But opals from the best mines — the mines of Hungary and Australia — are of different formation, and more constant in their beauty. By many virtuosos they are regarded as the most interesting of gems. An old jewel merchant of India, who is a faithful lover of the opal, recently exhibited to me the Australian pet which he always carries enclosed in a unique little box of carved wood, in his inner waistcoat pocket. Whon ho disclosed the gleaming stone, be looked at it and spoke of it like a true adorer. " It is the child of the moonbeam and tho sunbeam," he said, with Eastern imagery. " I will never part with it, for since I have possessed it, happiness has come to me again and again." It was not of exceptional beauty, but, as to his 'cultivated eye all opals are as expressive as human countenances and vary as much in interest, it was dear to him because it bore the loving look of a personal friend. The Hungarian opals are the most fashionable. Thoy are paler than others — resembling their moonbeam mother — with a slight shade of green predominating among the splashes of color. The Australian stone, on the contrary, seems to hold captive in its depth rosy little blushes ; and tbe Mexican opal, though less rare and valuable than the others, is richly florid in color, showing "very little of the cool Hungarian green, but much glowing red and deep yellow. While all colored stones are enhanced in beauty by the adjacency of diamonds, the opal is never in full radiance withtheir setting. The finest stone in the Austrian crown jewels is a yellow "star" diamond. But this bears no relation to the star sapphire. It is named the "Polar Star," because it is cut to represent a star of nine rays. Fancy stones are now a favorite, though necessarily a restricted, fashion for engagement rings. An interesting black diamond and a black pearl set together, showing in powerful contrast the hard brillancy of the one and the perfect " skin " of the- other, was the ring selected by a recently accepted lover — wishing to combine individuality and antiquity in his gift. Another fiance has had two links set with jewels — one with yellow, the other with blue, diamonds— for himself and his betrothed to wear during the engagement ; but when the marriage takes place, in accordance with a very : old custom, both bands will be therei after worn by the bride. That the ruby is one of the rarest of i all the productions of nature may fc account for its having been chosen as , the emblem of enduring love. A ruby of five carats will command double the

price of a diamond the same weight, and a ten-carat ruby will bring triple the price of a ten-carat diamond. An enthusiastic/ifwu-e, not content to bestow upon his love merely beautiful, valuable stones, has copied the setting of an old Venetian ring. Three rubies are set iv raised bezels ; to their bases are fastened, by a swivel, gold pendants, each set with diamonds, which fall glistening about the finger with every, movement of the hand. Not that designs for engagement rings are drawn so extensively from the past, who can tell whenVfashion may decree the return of other ancient ornaments ? We may be in danger of resuming " memorial " rings cheerfully embellished by skulls and skeletons vividly executed in black enamel, Or we may haunt the dentist's office to secure distinguished teeth, in imitation of the Englishman that wore one of Sir Isaac Newton's set in a ring, and of Denon, the French savant, whose finger was gemmed with a tooth of Voltaire. T --^ The taste for antiquities has not yet meddled with the wedding ring ; we still cling to the plain, narrow hoop of gold. However, the " posy," with which it invariably used to be inscribed, is creeping in again. Sometimes this is r on the " limited liability " order — " As true to thee as thou to me " — but it can be more delectably quaint, " This and my heart." — Home Journal.