ABOUT:
We call this one the earth and sky ring.
Two nice sized old European cut diamonds in contrasting colors are raised in tall pronged illusion settings to jump off the finger. Each stone measures around 0.7 carat and is surrounded by ten smaller old cut diamonds in the curving bypass shank above and below the center stones. The twelve diamonds together total 1.7 carat.
But the COLOR!
One of the large diamonds is a gorgeous cognac fancy light brown color. The other is true bright white in ambient light but in direct light, reflects a very light blue almost periwinkle hue to it. With the brown and "blue" combination, that is why we lovingly refer to it as the earth and sky ring. : )
I look at antique diamonds all day every day and these are quite unique. I just don't often see old cut stones with hues like this. While the cognac color is noticeable in all lighting conditions, the blue is not glaring / vibrant in color. As mentioned in most light it just appears very bright white but interesting to see how it tends to reflect blue in direct light, especially sunlight. The camera seems to soak up the blue color, I have only seen this one other time in the hundreds of diamond rings I sell each year. It is quite amazing, hopefully the videos and photos in all lighting conditions help accurately portray this. Feel free to request more photos and videos of the ring next to other pieces with warm and white diamonds for comparison and contrast. The smaller diamonds in the bypass setting are also white but you can see in the photos how the larger stone seems to provide a contrast with the normal white / colorless smaller stones.
Also fun to find in antique diamonds - these stones have a noticeable fire so they really like to shoot out the sparkles. And the larger stones are set in prongs that are in excellent condition making it appropriate for regular wear. (See additional notes below).
A gorgeous showstopper in a toi et moi setting. The tradition of giving toi et moi rings to represent the love between two people dates back centuries, but the style was brought to the attention of a wider audience when Napoleon Bonaparte proposed to Joséphine de Beauharnais with one. Other famous rings include the toi et moi given to Jacqueline Onassis by John F Kennedy in 1953, but the popularity of this two-part style of ring was at its peak during the Edwardian and Belle Époque periods. It remains quite popular and oh so romantic today.
Antique piece from the very early 1900s. Sturdy shank and setting. Found in Ireland. No hallmarks remain but tests at 18k gold on the banded warm yellow gold shank.
Very striking alone but also suitable for stacking and layering. It would be a romantic engagement ring. Very fun to wear this one, what is in my mind a quite substantial and eye catching piece.
These diamonds are scarce and sought after for a few reasons - the first is that all antique diamonds of course have a more limited supply since they are no longer made in this way. There are only so many in existence compared to the millions of carats of modern, machine cut diamonds made every year. These have withstood the test of time.
The second is the color - it is believed that only 1 carat in every 10,000 carats mined are colored diamonds. So putting the old cut together with the color makes these even more scarce.
Antique box is not included. Please note the measurements as I have small fingers and it can be difficult to determine scale from pictures.
MEASUREMENTS:
Size: 5 1/2 - best to discuss sizing options with your local jeweler who would be doing the work, as opinions vary when it comes to antiques and there are diamonds set into the bypass bands of the ring face which may need reinforcement if the shank were to be overly bent in a sizing. So best to discuss options with your goldsmith.
Weight: a sturdy 4.5 grams
Ring face 14mm north south and 17mm east west.
Height off finger: 7mm.
The two large diamonds are around 0.7 carat each. They are each about 5.5mm. The ten smaller diamonds in the bypass setting are about 1.8mm. I would not remove them from the setting for exact measurements but estimated total carat weight is around 1.7 carat.
IMPORTANT CONDITION NOTES:
The old cut diamonds are fabulous in fire and hue, but do have some natural inclusions typical for old cut stones. The brown diamond has a darker carbon silk inclusion that is eye visible, although the color does help mask it. The white diamond also has natural inclusions including a carbon silk, some smaller carbon specks and some crystal inclusions that can also catch the light. The smaller stones are typical old mine cuts and one single cut also with some frosty spots but as they are small this is seen mostly under magnification.
The brown diamond has a tiny circular chip to the underside of the girdle, at the top edge of one pavilion facet. You can see the tiny circle when you study the stone under magnification looking through the stone. It also has caused a nibble to the girdle edge at that spot, but to the eye the stone appears full, complete, and round, and fills the space and setting. One of the smallest diamonds on the end is chipped with loss to almost half the stone. The remainder of the stone is still present and stuck in the prongs so again the space is mostly filled but if you study it at an angle you can see the loss to the outside edge of that stone.
None of the stones move and the two largest stones are especially secure in long prongs.
Please note that all my pieces are pre-owned and in estate condition. They will have patina, surface wear, a few small nicks. These pieces may also have evidence of a sizing, some build up around the stones and / or inclusions seen under magnification, typical for antique pieces. I have mentioned any noticeable issues above and they are all still wearable and eager to be loved and accepted for many years to come, (the preservation of antique jewelry, even those with signs of their age and history, is important to me. : )
But - Please note due to age, this piece is not in mint condition. Pictures also serve as part of the description and condition report so please utilize the zoom feature which will magnify any wear significantly more than what is visible to the eye while wearing : )
SOCIAL:
Please feel free watch @mouseshouseantiques on Instagram for inventory drops, sneak peaks and previews! And check out my website www.MousesHouseAntiques.com as I can add more pics there so you can get extra looks : )
Box#md.^42
