JEWEL FASHIONS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23273, 16 February 1939, Page 3

JEWEL FASHIONS

POPULARITY OF RUBIES INSCRIPTIONS ON RINGS RETURN TO SENTIMENTALITY Rubies of the lovely deep-red pigeonblood shade are the newest choice for engagement rings. Because of their rarity, such rubies to-day are much more expensive than diamonds. The pale red ruby, however, is not valuable. Rubies may, however, easily clash with the colour of a gown, and as the newly engaged girl is careful to wear appropriate jewellery with day or evening gowns diamonds are still popular. They cannot clash with any colour. Platinum is the usual choice for the setting. Very thin bands are usually seen for engagement rings (and other rings) to-day, whether in platinum or white gold. It may be a sign of a return to the more sentimental days of Queen Victoria, but inscriptions inside rings are creeping back into favour with engaged couples of to-day. It may be only the Christian name of the girl and the date of engagement. And the girl often gives her fiance a souvenir present—perhaps a cigarette case in silver or gold, with an inscription inside, and the date of the engagement. Usually the decoration for such cigarette cases will bo engine-turning, which harmonises perfectly with the more severe styles popular to-day, beauty of line being the aim of the design and not ornate decoration.

Brides-to-be of 1939 are choosing either very thin circlets of platinum or the white gold which is increasingly popular. The newest wedding rings are quite different from those which used to be made in the now less popular yellow gold. And the inscription inside the wedding ring of the bride's Christian name, with the date of the wedding, is rapidly coming into favour with modern brides.

Where the bridegroom decides to wear a wedding ring, it is always an exact replica of his wife's ling. Often newly-weds exchange wedding rings, he wearing hers with her name and marriage date inscribed inside, and she wearing his, also with the appropriate inscription. A new idea, nowadays, is for an engaged girl to be given one of the new little-finger rings (another reversion to a former fashion) with her engagement ring. These are slightly irregular in shape, and can be jewelled only on three sides to enable the ring to be worn in comfort. It is worn on the right hand.