Elegant Ring with Natural Pearls and Diamonds in Platinum on Gold

The Belle Époque was an era of refinement and sophistication, in which the sophisticated lady of the world devoted as much attention to the connoisseurship of luxurious stones as she did to the study of antique lace. In fact, the latter was considered a special mark of elegance, as acquiring it was difficult and required knowledge and patience. So what could be more natural than to translate the patterns of antique lace into the more enduring medium of jewellery? As early as the 19th century, houses such as Fouquet had designed jewels inspired by lace. Then, at the beginning of the 20th century, when platinum allowed for even finer craftsmanship, the designs became increasingly sophisticated. In 1912, it was said of the season’s jewelry that that fashion was leaning toward “marvelous designs of diamond lace, which require so much skill and labor that pieces of jewellery of this kind, despite their smaller stones, cost no less than they did in the days when massive diamonds were used and little attention was paid to the setting.” This ring is another such piece. There is not a single gemstone of any particular size that takes center stage—it is the design itself, the filigree setting, that uses diamonds and natural pearls as accents. The finest knife-edge prongs, featuring milgrains, stretch delicately between dainty elements. Thanks to the top layer of platinum, the piece of jewellery appears white when worn, like bridal lace. The piece of jewellery was later augmented with the ring band and part of the lower setting, allowing it to nestle perfectly against the finger. It is very likely that the ring originally began its life as a brooch or as part of a bracelet. Quoted from [Anon.], “The Season’s Jewels,” The Morning Leader, October 19, 1912, p. 8.

Estimate:$1,675.57

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