Ornate Classic Victorian Antique One Carat Old Mine Cut DiAMOND Solitaire Ring French 18k Rosy GOLD Engagement All Original Setting & Stone

ABOUT:
A true antique, this all original Victorian solitaire has an ornate crown prong mount holding a chunky old mine cut diamond measuring
The shank is a warm and rosy antique 18k gold. Always love to find antique rings with their original stones and unaltered settings.

This one has the prongs in excellent condition as well making this one ready for daily wear. The prongs are in a contrasting platinum but were reinforced for daily wear in gold so the tips of the ornate platinum crown like setting are in gold.

Found in France with their hallmarks for 18k gold and a goldsmith stamp. It also has an old serial number stamp inside the ring shoulder. Just a timeless classic.

Antique box not included. Please note the measurements as I have small fingers and the pictures can make it difficult to see scale.

SIZE & MEASUREMENTS:

Size 7 1/2.

The diamond is about a 6.1mm cushion cut and measures one carat due to its deep and chunky cut. I don't remove diamonds from their antique settings for fear of damage (the Four C's scale doesn't apply well to antique stones anyway) so this is an estimated measurement of the stone while set.

The piece weighs 3.1 grams. It stands 5.9mm off the finger.

IMPORTANT CONDITION NOTES:
This diamond is a quirky one for sure which is why it is priced accordingly. Under magnification we can see what looks like a cloudy transparent film on the surface of the facets. It is not uniform over the entire piece but most of the facets have it. It almost looks like fingerprints or water / calcium buildup but it won't come free, like a smudge that won't clean off. This is less seen by the eye but seen under magnification, and does seem to affect the light reflectivity of the stone. I am assuming it is the result of natural characteristics to the stone / cloud inclusions and the polishing technology available during the period. There are some additional speck inclusions and a slightly larger crystal inclusion with carbon under the table, along with some smaller smatterings of carbon specks within the stone. The former is eye visible, the latter mentioned smattering much less so. The stone does still sparkle but just doesn't have that shiny crystal clear surface and can reflect a bit frosty overall as a result. This is why it is priced significantly less than my typical antique one carat solitaires. I was able to capture what I'm referring to in the zoom photos of the side view of the diamond, which is intentionally over emphasizing it more than what is seen by the eye and with normal wear.

The shank is very sturdy as are the prongs. The setting is fabulous, so ornate and pretty with perfect antique gold patina. It is ready for daily wear.

Also typical for an antique diamond, with a slight bit of warmth, nothing glaring, definitely no yellow to this one. Hopefully the pictures in various lighting conditions help to display how the piece wears.

NOTE - I don't prefer to grade my antique diamonds with the Four C's grading scale which came about way later for machine cut diamonds with mathematically perfected facets. The scale does not do one of a kind antique stones justice as they were expertly hand cut to their best advantage, in a much more limited supply compared to the millions of carats of machine cut diamonds made each year now. Their uniqueness and quirks are expected and part of their charm, but I look at antique diamonds every day and always describe everything I see while studying it under magnification. My items do very well without paperwork as I describe everything in detail so there are never any surprises, so there is no certification included.

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 : )

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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More notes 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 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 for machine cut stones.) It is difficult to judge antique stones against modern day diamonds with their grading system evaluating their mathematically perfected proportions using methods and standards that didn’t exist for hand cut old cut diamonds. No two old cuts are the same as they were crafted in times lacking those 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. (Although it is also worth noting that many antique collectors prefer and seek out antique diamonds with warmer hues.)

It is also interesting that "lower graded" diamonds in today's scale system, were some of the best on the market during the antique period! So it is less about their grades and more about the unique play of light and color that each one can offer. As one of many articles puts it: “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 their individual beauty or sparkle which are based more on their individual character and uniqueness that each one potentially offers.”

As another example, I recently purchased a ring for my own collection that prior to me buying, had had the stone removed from the antique setting. Removing it broke the basket setting and chipped the stone so for me personally, I dearly wish they would have sold it to me without the paperwork, this is me speaking as a buyer in addition to being a seller. Of course everyone is entitled to their own wonderful opinions but this is just one other perspective / point of view. : )