Sparkling Vintage White Gold Ring with Sapphire & Diamonds, c. 1970

Of all gemstones, the blue sapphire in particular has been attributed various mythical qualities over the centuries. In the Middle Ages, bishops wore this stone as a ring because they believed it warded off deceit and falsehood and protected the wearer from envy. In his natural history of gemstones Della storia naturale della cameo, Naples 1730, Giacinto Gimma noted in the Baroque period that the colour blue stood for Venus and the study of celestial bodies and stars, and was represented most purely in sapphire. It is possible that the meaning attributed to sapphire in the 19th century developed from these associations. It was associated with truth and loving loyalty. For example, the painter Sir Edward Burne Jones, who also designed jewellery, wrote to his close friend Frances Graham: "Sapphire is truth, and I am never without it [...] Sapphires I make my totem of!" A magnificent blue sapphire with beautiful colour zoning also adorns this ring. The stone is cut into a round cabochon and framed by fourteen brilliant-cut diamonds. The diamonds are set slightly apart from each other, giving the large center stone a certain lightness. The gemstones are held in place by white gold, which is completely subdued in terms of color and allows the setting to take precedence. The eye is lost in the depths of the sapphire, which reveals its natural inclusions thanks to the chosen cut. The ring band has a powerful graphic shape and contrasts the flattering center stone with a certain austerity that increases the tension of the design.

Estimate:$7,781.71

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