Jewels and the woman: The romance, magic and art of feminine adornmentOstier, Marianne
History
Jewels and the woman: The romance, magic and art of feminine adornment
Ostier, Marianne
Jewelry
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_
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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