Antique Toi-et-moi Ring with Natural Pearl and Diamond, Germany, c. 1910

White was the fashionable color for jewellery in the first decades of the 20th century. Diamond jewellery could hardly shine coolly enough for the evening. This Belle Époque ring also shines completely in white and juxtaposes three different nuances and textures: the silky luster of a natural pearl, the clear sparkle of diamonds and the cool metallic surface of platinum. The large old-cut diamond weighs around 1.35 ct and has even, clear proportions and very good brilliance with a fine, white colour (G, top Wesselton) and good clarity (si1). It shines brightly and impressively in sunlight. It is set against a large natural pearl in a warm gray. The pearl is slightly baroque and has a depressed shape. The luster is very good, the overlay shows a light pink. The juxtaposition of to gems, here the diamond and pearl, is typical of Toi-et-moi rings. At the time time, the gemstones were read as a representation of the lovers. They are recognizable as individuals and yet firmly united as partners in marriage: rings of this type were therefore often given as engagement rings. The decoration of the ring is exceptionally precious. At the time the ring was created, pearls like the one used here were recovered by divers in the Persian Gulf; cultured pearls were not yet available, so natural oriental pearls were all the more precious and traded at prices similar to diamonds of the same size. Finally, until the Russian Revolution, platinum was mined almost exclusively in the Urals and exported to all European countries. The metal was considerably more expensive than gold at the time and the white accents of the design are evidence of the ring's preciousness. The ring also comes with an independent certificate confirming the quality of the materials. The high-quality ring is in very good condition. We were able to discover it in Augsburg. Its hallmark suggests that it was made in Germany. We date it to around 1910.

Estimate:$8,461.77

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