Description

A beautiful ring, characteristic of it's time with its array of opulent Diamonds and elegant Pearls all set in an attractive and comfortable flat setting.

It is obviously a high quality item, set in 18 Carat Gold and featuring 1.18 Carats of Old European Cut Diamonds with an approximate grading of P1-2 Clarity and H-K Colour. The gradings are slightly unfair however as most people already know diamonds of this age were not judged on this basis (this was long before the inception of The Four C's!) so they would have been chosen for their weight and sparkle. This ring would have been owned by an extremely wealthy married lady and only worn at night. Daytime wear would have been a serious social faux pas! The Diamonds are graduated; the larger diamonds flanking the sides and all are secure in the Oval Setting.

It is well made with a nick thick shank leading to sophisticated split shoulders. The setting has a typical pierced gallery and is very flat, allowing the ring to lie comfortably on the finger.

The Pearls appear to be original and have survived that last 100 + years with varying levels of success. The bottom Pearl is slightly more grey in colour than the others, the middle Pearl has unfortunately lost a layer at some point in its long life. Fortunately the Pearls are good enough quality that the depth of the layers is enough to expose only another layer and therefore retain its creamy lustre - cheaper examples would have exposed the original dull irritant which caused the Pearl to form.

The top Pearl has a pink tint which suggests that the Pearls were chosen purposefully for their subtle differences. The hues are delicate and difficult to photograph but originally would have been more of an obvious Pink, Cream and Grey.

Although rare and beautiful, this is not a purists piece. It shows signs of a life prior to finding itself in our collection but none which adversely affect the attractiveness or wearability of the ring. It's a fabulous historical find which leaves us in no doubt that it is completely original. Overall the condition is very good, it still has a pleasingly substantial feel to it and all the gold work is sturdy and secure. A lovely, wearable antique. I only wish it could talk!

The setting measures 21mm x 19mm.

It is a UK size M, US approx 6 (may feel slightly smaller)

Price: £1,495.00 (approx $2,400.00 USD)

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