Victorian Marquise Ring with Old-Cut Diamonds, England, c. 1890

The special allure of historic diamonds lies in their unique character. No two stones are alike: each stone possesses its own distinct colour, proportions, and brilliance, and the cut is always chosen to preserve as much of the rough stone’s material as possible. This ring introduces us to 34 such diamonds, each with its own individuality and history. Their shape is even closer to the natural rough crystal of the diamond than that of modern brilliant cuts, with overall more robust proportions. As a result, their brilliance is slightly softer than that of today’s stones—a perfect match for the atmospherically lit rooms of their era, illuminated by gas lamps. The diamonds were set into this ring in a classic boat shape during the final years of the 19th century. The approximately 1.16 ct diamonds are set à jour in high-karat gold. The settings are open on the back to give the stones the space they need to sparkle. The goldsmithing is designed to be flat, making the ring comfortable to wear. Nevertheless, the ring shoulders feature sculptural ornamentation. The ring came to us from London, and as its hallmarks reveal, it was also made in England. Models of this type were produced by many jewellers of that era, as they enjoyed great popularity. To help contextualize the style, we present a page from the catalog of the Silber & Fleming department store, London 1889, which features a selection of rings that were fashionable at the time; see also here. Here we find very similar designs and can appreciate just how rich and varied the selection was for the ladies of that era. The ring is in excellent condition and captivates with its magnificent setting.

Estimate:$2,565.85

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