ABOUT:
This one is among my all time best!
Iconic and special French vintage ring from the Art Deco to early retro period at the latest. This attention grabbing piece holds an exceptional, chunky step cut natural diamond that faces up eye clean and measures just under four carats alone. It is flanked by two trapezoidal step cut diamonds on each shoulder for a wonderful geometry and a total carat weight of over 4.5 carats.
So fun to wear for so many reasons - the chunky cut, the amazing sparkle, the bit of height, the added geometry of the uncommon trapezoidal cut sides. Love love love!
Found on my recent sourcing trip to Paris where I was focusing on really uncommon and high quality pieces to send back. This superb piece is crafted in platinum with French hallmarks, and has sturdy prongs ready for daily wear. Also very special for a vintage diamond ring - the stone has no nicks or nibbles, no frosty flakes of loss, no damage whatsoever, just some wear to the shank and hallmark which we actually like to see to confirm age.
Antique Box IS Included. These old boxes are collectible and hold value. The box is not original to the piece, but I am including it as a gift because it's always fun to store our goodies in collectible housing : )
Please note the measurements as I have small fingers and it can be difficult to determine scale from pictures.
HALLMARK:
French symbol hallmark for platinum that is since discontinued. Also has a French goldsmith stamp.
CENTER STONE:
GIA would almost certainly classify this as a modified step cut with its 2 rows of crown facets to the table. (Their classifications can also often vary depending on their mood - haha). The term “step cut” encompasses emerald cuts, asscher cuts, and baguette cuts. This one is closest to an Asscher cut with the square shape and the strong windmill / X pattern but we sometimes see them referred to as square emerald cuts as well.
It's an old cut with the chunkier dimensions and even a little open culet. It has a higher crown than a modern stone. So fun to way the way it reflects the light with its hall of mirrors.
The center diamond is 9x8.8mm with an incredible chunky depth of 6.3mm, measuring 3.97 carats.
This is an exact measurement as it was removed at some point prior to me, and was weighed on a scale.
The side diamonds are about 5x2.mm give or take (they are not perfectly uniform) and somewhere around .15 carat each as an estimate.
Total carat weight of the ring all together is a little over 4.5 carats again as an estimate because the side stones were not removed to scale.
I don’t typically rely on the "Four C’s" for vintage diamonds, cut in a much more limited supply than the millions of carats of modern diamonds created each year now. This is partly because the grades can be misleading, don't do these very rare stones justice, and the quirks are part of their history and character. My items sell well without paperwork as my listings are very detailed and I prefer not to take apart my vintage and antique pieces to send off the stone for fear of damaging the stones and settings (it has happened to me more than once as a buyer and a seller). But my descriptions always provide more detail than a letter grade provides, and all quirks and eccentricities are always pointed out. I look at vintage and antique diamonds every day and this is a special stone.
With a slight warmth when looking through the chunkiness of the stone from the side or in lower light (I would estimate it at around a K in color) - it faces up whiter especially in direct light due to the fact that it has quite a strong blue fluorescence. The flourescence serves as a color corrector so it wears whiter, and the flourescence is not strong enough to create the milky appearance we sometimes see in direct sunlight. So in other words, it is "just right." : )
A very fiery stone, it does not generally read as a warm stone to the eye. In outdoor light the stone almost looks blue at times, seemingly reflecting its ambiance.
The stone has an excellent clarity, estimated at VS with a completely clean center. There is one crystal crescent moon thumbnail shaped inclusion without carbon, right on the outside edge that is very slightly eye visible *Only* when viewing the stone from the side, which then disappears when turning the stone face up. It is not eye visible when wearing due to the angle of the inclusion which shrinks to a needle when face up and also disappears in the outlining faceting. This is the sign of expert cutting by the lapidarist - true artisans who were able to cut stones to make those perceived imperfections disappear. The stone is otherwise eye clean with really no other detectible inclusions and only the smallest pinpoints seen under strong magnification. There are some teensy tiny not in the least bit eye visible frosty speck areas to the table facet junctions from having been cut before modern technology.
I have a ton more videos in all lighting conditions, feel free to request through Instagram and I can easily send more looks.
MEASUREMENTS:
A snug size 6 1/4. Sturdy setting can be sized with no danger to the center stone, best to discuss with your local jeweler to what extent though with the bezel set trapezoids.
The ring weighs 5.6 grams. Ring face is 7.4mm tall off the finger to the table.
IMPORTANT CONDITION NOTES:
See above for center stone. The side stones are quite clean as well. Slightly varying hues only when studying the piece under magnification, all stones well matching with no glaring issues to the eye. One trapezoid has frosty natural inclusion leading up to the surface to create an indented natural inclusion on the outside facet edge which is nearly pushed up against the bezel and is not in the least eye visible.
Surface wear to the shank and age appropriate wear to the hallmark but no damage anywhere to the stones or prongs.
Please note that all my pieces are pre-owned and in estate condition. They may have patina, surface wear, a few small nicks. 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 : )
Very sweet piece from a very special era. I enjoy making my customers happy and matching unique pieces with new homes. Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions! It means a lot to me that you are visiting my shop! : )
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
: )
All items hand picked by me, one at a time from all over the world. All listings individually written by me, and not AI, after studying each piece to discuss its beauties and its ; ) eccentricities (which I am picky to point out).
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