Bracelet

“ Within two hours from the reception of this challenge, the beautiful bracelet, inclosed in an elegant case, on whose lid the initials of Lady R., surrounded by her crest, were engraved in letters of gold, had passed from the jeweller's show-rooms to the boudoir of Madame de N., who thenceforth, by means of an espionage that followed every movement of her rival, kept her constantly in view. ”

“ She won't speak without it; it seems it is a bracelet--an amulet.'
'The bracelet of brotherhood without which a woman cannot speak to a strange man,' explained Jack Raymond. 'Ah! you are wearing it.'
She was. Quite idly she had fastened it by its loop and button round her wrist, in order to keep it safe. She took it off now, and handed it to him without a word. He passed it to Auntie Khôjee, whose withered face settled into self-satisfaction as she leant forward, detaining his hand till the bracelet was safely looped on his brown wrist. ”

“ A treasured brooch or ring, without requiring the resetting of stones or the breaking up of the jewel, may be incorporated into a bracelet as an ornamental clasp. The beautiful round or oval Victorian brooches, the still charming baroque flower pins and rings, lend themselves with exceptional readiness to this use. Such a clasp, as a centerpiece, may grace a many-stranded pearl bracelet, or one of gold chain or gold motifs.
[172]
Bracelet Width
The width of the bracelet should never exceed the width of the special clasp. Too wide a band will dwarf the clasp and destroy its decorative value. ”

“ Carefully examining the contents of the case, she drew from a lower tray a bracelet set with costly diamonds, a rare and beautiful ornament, and before I was aware of her intent had clasped it upon my wrist.
"'I want you to wear this for me. You see it is large enough to go quite up the arm." ”

“ Joe Buckner sounded outraged.
"That is one purpose our bracelets serve," the instructor answered. "A very good question, Joe. As you know, each of us receives a bracelet at birth, which is slipped over the hand and onto the wrist. Made of plasticum, which cannot be cut by any method, the bracelet has the unique property of expanding in size as the wearer grows. It cannot be removed except by cutting off the arm of the wearer." ”

“ Although gold as well as platinum may form the setting for a diamond bracelet, a gold bracelet and a platinum one should not be worn together.
Note that more than one bracelet (unless all are of very [174] similar design) is no more flattering a decoration than a single one. Several of much the same sort may form a wide-banded unit; different designs will suggest confusion and clash.
As with other jewels, properly chosen bracelets can accentuate one’s attractive features, and guide the eyes swiftly and unheedingly away from less attractive ones. ”

“ It should be tight enough to prevent sliding or turning, yet not tight enough to make the arm bulge on either side. The bracelet should be carefully tested for its place, as it is difficult and costly to alter.
If a bracelet is to be worn over the sleeve of a dress, again care must be taken to see that it is loose enough to slide and to lie comfortably. Neither a bracelet around the arm nor a belt around the waist should seem too confining. Any tightness, as with the olden hour-glass corsets, belongs below the surface. Trimness, not strain, is beauty’s accordant sign. ”

“ If the wrist is small, the bracelet should be worn low on the arm. A narrow gold or pearl bracelet will be most becoming. Too wide a band will tend to make the hand seem bony. A slim arm will seem rounder with a bracelet of slender chains set with small stones. ”

“ The better ones are made of gold, silver, or mother-of-pearl; others are fashioned of iron, copper, horn, beads and other materials. In China, prized bracelets are cut of a single piece of jade.
In the Orient, the use of the bracelet never lapsed. In Europe, the arm decoration—along with other adornment—grew less popular in the Middle Ages, but with the flowering of the Renaissance the bracelet again came into fashion.
Types of Bracelets
There are two main types of bracelets in general use. First came the stiff bangle bracelet, a rigid band. ”

“ In the lowest bracelet the hour-glass-shaped beads are of gold, with one of amethyst between each pair. The gold is doubtless cast, being solid. None of these are pierced, but they were secured by tying round a groove at the middle of each bead. There was also a fourth bracelet with a ball and loop fastening which shows the skill in soldering. The ball is beaten hollow, leaving about a quarter of it open; inside it a hook of gold wire is soldered in without leaving the smallest trace of solder visible. ”

“ In addition to finger and earrings our jewellery artists are responsible [4] for other objects, such as the bracelet, the watch, and the fan. I think it is very difficult to rescue the bracelet from conventionality. We must hope the best for the future. But what about watch-cases, especially those of ladies' watches? This art is quite neglected, not so much by the manufacturers as by the artists. ”

“ It should not, however, be thought of as the centerpiece in a gold bangle bracelet. Set against the stiff gold, it will not be improved, but will the more clearly proclaim that it is old-fashioned. Instead, the jeweler should consider the possibility of centering the diamond wrist watch in an important diamond and pearl bracelet. If the watch movement is still in good condition, the watch can be incorporated in the bracelet so cleverly that the functional aspect of the timepiece will be wholly subordinate to, if not lost in, the beauty of the jewel. ”

“ He puts in his ears gold ear-rings, round the neck a necklace called chakra (wheel) mala,* [6] on the right wrist a gold bracelet, gold rings on the fingers, a gold or silver chain round the loins, and a gold or silver-handled knife with a sheath of the same metal. The two companions are dressed in much the same way, but they wear neither necklace nor bracelet. The women wear as many ornaments as they please. Sisters of the bridegroom must wear bracelets on both wrists, a necklace, and a silk cloth (virāli) on the shoulders. ”

“ A line traced on the wrist is a sign of long life and, if there are three of these lines, as is sometimes seen, it forms the triple bracelet. These lines indicate, in Chiromancy, thirty years of life each and the three lines form what is called the magic bracelet, indicating long life, health and riches. If these lines are formed irregularly, like the links of a chain, and more especially if the first one—that next the hand—is so formed, it indicates a long life of labour, but acquiring ease and competency at its close. ”

“ We are to have manufactured a bracelet of gold of a pattern as old as the Pharaohs, and made with the same instruments that the cunning goldsmiths used three thousand years ago. While we are seated and bargaining for the work, the goldsmith unlocks his safe and shows us necklaces, bracelets, anklets, and earrings in the very forms, bizarre but graceful, of the jewelry of which the Israelites spoiled the Egyptian women. ”

“ Some of the earliest are composed of glass and gold beads threaded so as to form various patterns. The more solid forms of bracelet are ornamented with inlaid work. Rings for the arms, as well as the ankles, are generally of plain gold—both solid and hollow—sometimes bordered with plaited chain-work. Bracelets of thick and occasionally twisted wire, found as early as the twelfth dynasty, usually have the ends beaten out into a thin wire, which is lapped round the opposite shank so as to slip easily over the wrist. ”

“ The other bracelet consists of a flat band, formed of plaited hair of various shades, and the shades so disposed as to intersect each other transversely, forming a kind of chequered pattern. Five medallions are affixed to this band, each opening by a spring in the manner of a watch-case, and within are a name and date, or any inscription appropriate to those whose tresses have formed the memento. For plain bracelets, there is the round elastic band, fastened by a broad gold band or link, to which is attached a single medallion, inclosing hair too short to be braided. ”

“ At marriage an iron bracelet is placed on the wrist. This is sometimes worn with gold circlets to lessen the sense of subjection. But the iron bracelet does not thus lose its significance, for the woman has everything to remind her of her secondary place in society. ”

“ Men wear a gold bangle on the left wrist, and another on the right arm. Women wear a silver bangle on the right wrist, and a bracelet of real or imitation coral, which is first worn at the time of marriage, on the left wrist. ”

“ You needn’t be ashamed to wear this wherever you appear—even when, by-and-by, you are married to some rich, great man, you can still wear the little bracelet—the very best of its kind. See, I will write your name now before your eyes on the little box. ”

“ She was dressed in jade-green muslin as befitted a daughter of the Faith, and from shoulder to elbow and elbow to wrist ran bracelets of silver tied with floss silk, frail glass bangles slipped over the wrist in proof of the slenderness of the hand, and certain heavy gold bracelets that had no part in her country’s ornaments but, since they were Holden’s gift and fastened with a cunning European snap, delighted her immensely. ”

“ When you have gone completely around the bracelet, untie the starting knot and tuck in the loose ends.
All the patterns shown above are made in exactly this way. The core may either be of the same color as one of the working strands, or of a third color to add little decorative touches between the stitches. ”

“ In general, any circlet of gold or silver which forms a bracelet for men or women, whether worn on the wrist, arm, or ankle. Bracelets worn by men often consisted of three or four massive bands of bronze, silver, or gold, and thus covered a considerable portion of the arm. Bracelets were worn by the Assyrians, the Babylonians, the Medes, the Persians, the Celts (Fig. 42) , and the Gauls (Fig. 43) . The Egyptians in some instances employed ivory and porcelain in their manufacture. ”

“ There were young braves, handsome in their bronze-skinned way, with bands binding their straight thick hair, silver rings in their ears, silver bracelets on their wrists, silver buttons on their moccasins. ”

“ Married women have a gold and silver coin at the ends of these tufts, while widows remove them. But the dearest possession of the women are large broad bracelets, made, some of wood, and the large number of bone or ivory. Almost the whole arm is covered with these ornaments. In case of the husband's death, the bracelets on the upper arm are removed. They are kept in place by a cotton bracelet, gorgeously made, the strings of which are ornamented with the inevitable cowries. On the wrist broad heavy brass bracelets with bells are worn, these being presents from the mother to her daughter. ”

“ Do you not know that throwing back the hair from the brow, reveals whatever is good in you?”
Then I lifted my bracelet and asked her to fasten it. An expression of pity, or contempt, flashed over her face, but she said kindly, “Ah! but you can not wear it here. Jewelry is forbidden. Put it at the bottom of your trunk; it will be safe there.”
She did not resume her darning, but slipped into a silver gray dress of lustrous silk. A pair of gray slippers stood on a table, and I was sure no full grown human foot could get its toes into them, but she stepped into them with the greatest ease. ”

“ Ear-rings were a very favourite form of adornment, and three or four would dangle picturesquely from each ear, but only women and boys wore them. The wearing of rings, however, was general. Iron, copper, and ivory played their part in the making of the bracelets, and in the long pins for the hair, which were decorated with massive heads mostly significant, including such odd designs as a fish bearing in its mouth two precious stones, and a hanging basket with a greedy bird pecking at its floral contents. ”

“ Take that life, beseech you, Which I so often owe; but your ring first, And here the bracelet of the truest princess That ever swore her faith. ”

“ On reaching the historic times we obtain a good view of the production and variety of jewellery, in the four bracelets of the Queen of Zer, early in [85] the first dynasty, 5400 B.C. These bracelets (fig. 93) show how each separate piece was made to fit its own place in a complete design, and that the later custom of merely stringing ready-made beads was not then followed.
The bracelet of hawks has the gold blocks alternating with turquoise. The hawks on the gold pieces are all equal, but the sizes of the blocks vary in the height. ”

“ Inventories supply a certain amount of information concerning bracelets. Henry VIII in 1530 possessed seventeen, including one of "Paris work, with jacynths; and one with eight diamonds, eight rubies, fourteen pearls, and a diamond rose." Elizabeth received a large number of bracelets amongst her New Year's gifts. In the inventory of Mary Stuart's jewels are "Une paire de brasseletz garniz de cornaline lappines et agate et entredeux de doubles—Une aultre paire de brasseletz damatiste—Ung bracelet fait a facon de serpent." ”

“ Fasten the hoop D upon the hoop (Fig. 46) , and the pendant E upon the hoop D, clasping the pendant by its catch as you did the pendant of the necklace. The children need not follow exactly the shapes of the "danglers" and pendants shown here—let them exercise their own taste in these.
The Bangle Bracelet
[24] The bangle bracelet (Fig. 48) is made as in Fig. 49. Cut a strip of paper half an inch wide and about eight inches long; [25] make a catch at one end and a slit in the other end, then a little below the middle cut six slits half an inch apart, as in Fig. 49. ”