In medieval England the making of brooches developed as a fine art; in Kent from the sixth to the tenth century, excellent examples were made. They were mainly circulars of gold filigree adorned with garnets, though other materials, from meerschaum to paste, were also set in fine gold. However ornamental a brooch may be, it seldom quite forgets its practical function of holding a garment together. Maria Theresa of Austria, on state occasions, used an agraffe—a hook that caught in a ring, as a clasp—in which was set the Florentine diamond, a great yellow stone of over 137 carats. This was preserved in the Hofburg in Vienna until the Second World War. Even more elaborate were the great brooches the noblewomen of England wore in the decorative reign of Edward VII. Sometimes called stomachers, these masses of metal overladen with stones occupied the entire front of the dress. _The Simpler Clip_ Fashion has returned us to a simpler style and released the dress decoration from its functional requirement. In the 1920’s Cartier replaced the hinged pin with a metal plate operated by a spring so that counterpoints on its tip bite into the fabric. A jewel so fashioned we call a clip. More recently, the metal plate has been replaced by two parallel pins, making the clip still lighter and more versatile. Where the weightier brooch would seem unbalanced or topheavy, the new clip may be used as a pert or pertinent addition to a garment. _Its Versatility_ And the clip is the most versatile of all jewels. Like the older brooch, it may be used to close a dress, to hold a collar together or to gather a scarf into attractive folds. It may be placed so as to accentuate any desired part of a gown: at any point along a neckline, on a lapel, at the side of a dress—usually the left side or at the waistline. It may be combined with a necklace, as a fresh centerpiece or on the side—though of course a large clip should not be set upon a thin chain. Some clips are fashioned to slip onto a necklace and, by an easy adjustment, can be made to slip onto a band of platinum or fitted on a diamond or pearl necklace. [Illustration: 29. MRS. FREDERIC GIMBEL. _Mrs. Gimbel wears an ensemble of gold, turquoise and diamond earclips, bracelets and ring. The turquoises are selected to compliment her coloring and the distinctive quality of her beauty._] [Illustration: 30. BELLFLOWER BROOCH AND EARCLIPS. _These pearl and diamond jewels are designed so that the free-swinging pearls are in constant movement. For different occasions and outfits, colored stones or diamond drops may be substituted for the pearls._] [Illustration: 31. BRACELET AND ENGAGEMENT RING. _The simplicity of the ring, an emerald-cut diamond flanked by two straight baguettes, complements the elaborateness of the bracelet. The main swirl motif of baguette and round diamonds is an excellent design for slimming a heavy wrist. The center of the bracelet is removable and can be worn as a clip on a necklace._]