ABOUT:
Current antique jewelry trends: old mine cut daisy cluster, antique diamond gypsy, stackable antique diamond bands. I can't seem to get enough of these and they always seem to sell quickly and consistently.
This is one of the bigger daisy clusters that I have had. Awesome glittering French old mine cut cluster ring holding a chunky center mine cut diamond in prongs slightly elevated and surrounded by eight additional old mine cut diamonds in a halo for a total carat weight of around 2 carats. The largest diamond has an especially lofty crown giving it a nice chunky cut, I love viewing it form the side. Timeless and wearable, this is the classic version and all original antique.
I discovered some build up and gave it an additional cleaning, but the sun was already gone by the time I could re-shoot it. Just a note that the diamonds are actually even clearer / cleaner than they appear in photos! Many more images can be found on my website.
Found in France, No hallmarks remain which is actually common for French pieces as they are marked in the back and often lost during a sizing or from wear. But sold to me from a reputable source in France where the standard is 18k and tested to confirm.
The perfect stacker, and also a beautiful worn alone. Could also be a timeless engagement ring.
Antique box not included. Please note the measurements as I have small fingers and it can be difficult to determine scale from pictures.
SIZE & MEASUREMENTS:
A snug Size 6 1/4. The ring face is 13.5mm north south and stands 5.7mm off the finger. It weighs 3.5g.
Depths of the stones vary and I would not remove them from the setting to get exact measurements but estimated a little over 2 carats total weight in diamonds . The center diamond is about 5.4mm and a chunky cut, around 0.8 carat alone, and the eight diamonds in the halo are around 3.1 to 3.3mm each.
IMPORTANT CONDITION NOTES:
All my pieces are pre-owned and in estate condition.
I love antique diamonds, even those with inclusions or hues typical for the time, because some of those were still among the best available in the market during that period, and were expertly cut by hand to enhance their best characteristics. These are the typical antique diamonds with some natural inclusions, the most noticeable being a carbon spot right in the center of the largest stone. It is about the size of the culet and is eye visible, right under the table with some crystal inclusions within it that can catch the light. The others are just a frosty speck or wisp here or there seen mostly under magnification. Three of the smaller stones have nibbles to the girdle edges, again seen mostly under magnification with only one being slightly eye visible if you are seeking it out. There is some wear to the setting as expected for a piece over 100 years old. Most of the stones have a really long outside prong with a bit a wear to the smaller interior prongs, and one stone has a very worn outside prong but is held on each side by the interior prongs - this one in particular I would keep an eye on over time. The ring face is topped in a white precious metal as was customary for the period to set diamonds in a white metal. It shows a warm to gray patina compared to the buttery yellow gold shank and base of the ring face. Overall the piece has an exceptional antique look, eye catching and sparkly, very fun to wear. I also enjoy the low profile setting but please note with the scalloped shape and the outside prongs, they can feel a bit blunt when you rub your finger over them. This is just how the piece was made but I always like to mention the feel of pieces as well.
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 : )
Thanks so much for looking at my items!
A note about antique diamonds:
The whole "4 C's" of cut, color, clarity, carat didn't come about until the 1940s so prior to that and especially on antique pieces, there was not as much emphasis placed on those things. (Sure people probably appreciated a certain look of a certain diamond as it appeared to the eye but it was not a graded scale like we have today.)
So it is difficult to judge antique stones against modern day diamonds and their grading system. No two old cuts are the same as they were crafted in times lacking any modern standards. The diamond cutters of the time were experts at hand cutting each stone to enhance it which means that even lower color grades can be cut to appear whiter.
It is also interesting that "lower graded" diamonds in today's scale system, were some of the best on the market during this period! So it is less about their grades and more about the unique play of light and color that each one can offer.
I read one article that put it nicely: “When searching for the perfect old cut diamond (for you), you need to view them through different eyes as you would for a modern diamond. Laboratory grading reports don’t offer too much information in regards to the individual beauty or sparkle of an antique diamond. Antique diamonds are judged more on the individual character and uniqueness that each one potentially offers.”
Often there are variations of diamonds in the same piece as the goldsmiths created pieces with the stones they had available to them.
Fun facts!
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).
Box#Mc.1)42
