CHANGING FASHIONS

Marlborough Express, Volume LX, Issue 229, 28 September 1926, Page 8

CHANGING FASHIONS

THE .1 E WELLER S' VIEWPOINT. PEARLS IN DEALAND. "People spend just- as mucli in jewellery, but thev spend it in a different way," said a jeweller at Auckland ivhen asked to express an opinion in regard to a staten ent made before the Arbitration Court at Christchurch that the n;r nufacturing jewellery trade had practically ceased, that there Was lnsufficient work for jev/ellccrs' appicntices, and tliat jewellers 1 h rough out tln Oominion had been dismissing men beca.i-o there was no work for them. He added that it was a fact that n { ny women no v wore beads instead of expensive jewellery, as was Ihe fashion in ihe okl day:, but the fashion of the moment was pearls. "The day of tlie gold broocli and the bangle has gone," he said, "with tlie exception of a small den and for novelty brooohes. The ciiamond has alwavs been a popula'' stone, and medium sized stopes hail a steady iemaud." An other jeweller from wliom an opinion was so'ught said that the trade had been affected by the fact that of recent years firms carrying oii other businesses Iiad commeneerl to cut into the jewellery trade. On ihe other hatid there was a tendency, as had been pointed out at Christchurch, for people to invest in n.otqr-cars and sections. The trade was forced to foilow tho fashion, and if pendants, earrihgs, bangles, hitcches, gold iockets and chaihs were not wanted, then it was for ihe jeweller to provide a particular knibk-knack that was in dema'nd. He pointed out that fashions in regard to m:n had- also ehanged. The mocie of to-day was a wristlet watch, whiah had meant the abolition of ribbon-guards, the massive gold albert, and the valuahle heirloom kind of watch that used toi be handed on down through tlie family. He regarded the puhlio as very fiekle in its choice of articles for ■adornment, particularly women, who made a rush to foilow anv fashion tliat was set in Ehgland. "AVhen Princess go't aii emerald engagement ring' there was quite a deniand for emeraHs," he said, "but they have gone off them just as quickly." Anotlier Auckland jeweller said that fashions ehanged apart from ii dividuals and he recalled the days of silver candelabra. "They've gone for ever," he said reflectivelv. "AVhat cliance is "There now with clieap eleotrio light and gas laid on to practically everyhody's place?" He added that one thing that was notioeahle nowadays was that parents often bought jewellery' for children, particularly young girls, which was something quite unknowu in tlie old days. "Yes, pearls are the fashion just row," he said in answer to a query, "but the coming fashion will be white-gold and green-gold articles. Of course," he added in conclusion, "fashions change like the wind. Onr job is to keep pace with them."