HINGED Lock Clasp RING French Vintage to Antique Opening Puzzle 18k Gold Donut Band Green Cabochon Romantic Unique Gift Poison? Pipe Stacker

ABOUT:

Rare and unique ring that Mr. Mouse calls the engineering marvel. : ) To the eye, the ring wears like a chunky round band with a glowing green cabochon. But upon further inspection, you discover that you can LIFT the cabochon and flip it OPEN, as it serves as the locking mechanism / latch, to then also open wider the band which is discreetly hinged at the back.

We say it as an engineering marvel because it fits together so tightly, perfectly, snugly, with sturdy hand feel and even a slight snap when you latch it closed. It is really really well made with great quality to the hinges and lock mechanism in that the seams are almost invisible, very tight and secure. It took quite some skill to create this piece with such intricate mechanisms. The green stone has a lovely glow, I believe it is paste as it does not test on my gem tester, unless the setting is affecting that.

I believe this is an older piece because of the organic wear to the piece and also the "Depose" mark which is hidden inside the latch mechanism. This is the French word for "Registered" and was a term used in France similar to our patent or copyright process - so it is signifying not only "made in" but also "patented" French design. This stamp is most commonly seen on items from the turn of the century / c1900. The dealer I purchased it from also believed it was antique but there is no date mark. French piece in 18k gold, it is additionally hallmarked two uncommon marks we don't often see - one for Paris & departments and the other, a return mark for French jewelers re-imported. Again, I'm not exactly sure of age but it is definitely vintage as the latter hallmark was discontinued in 1983.

The perfectly round pipe or tube like shank does appear to be hollow inside, so I do not know if this was intended to hold something like a poison or snuff ring, or if it was just how it was constructed. But it is an awesome piece - a great, wearable design with hidden secrets.

We do sometimes see rings that open for the purpose of arthritic knuckles, to get on the skinnier base of the finger without having to slide over the knuckle, but in this case, it appears more to be a design choice.

Please note the detailed measurements that I always provide, as I have small fingers and it can be difficult to determine scale from pictures where I am required to show zoomed in detail.

SIZE & MEASUREMENTS:

A snug size 6 1/4, not sizeable. The band is 3mm wide and tall since it is perfectly round. It weighs 4.6g. The stone is about 4.7mm in diameter.

IMPORTANT CONDITION NOTES:

All my pieces are pre-owned and in estate condition. The stone has a beautiful glowing green color, a lovely shine and polish with some abrasions and surface wear seen more under magnification. To the eye it has a lovely sheen, polish and color. The shank is nice and sturdy with just surface wear and scratches but no dings or dents which is great and a testament to its sturdiness considering it is hollow inside. It is still very wearable and presents beautifully but - please note this is not a mint condition item, being pre-owned.

IMPORTANT CONDITION NOTES:

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 : )

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).

Many of my listings include group shots – I find the comparisons between pieces help show scale, diamond hues, etc. All items in group shots are inventory, but refer to the website to see what items have sold out and to watch for new listings from the grouping to appear on the home page.

Box#sc.4%2