Perpignan GARNET Almandine Cluster Ring French VICTORIAN Era Hallmark 18k Gold Floral Daisy Glowing Berry Pink Purple Red

ABOUT:

Mouse's FAVORITE gemstone alert! Aside from the wonderful color and inner glow of these special gems, this classic daisy cluster ring bears the French Victorian era hallmark for 18k gold used primarily in the 1800s and discontinued by 1918 to confirm age, origin and antique-ness ; ) of the piece.

Note that the video highlights the surface wear / abrasions more than normal wear in real life. They just tend to catch the light, in my opinion enhancing them more than in reality, when this one is actually in comparatively good condition for age. But I am including them to show how it glows and sparkles in direct light.

The fabulous stones are deep ripe berry purplish color with a pinkish reddish inner glow from within. They are set in a collet setting with domed, closed and foiled backs, the customary fabrication for these French antique garnet pieces. Crafted in 18k gold which has the sought after, rich and warm antique patina which can't be found on modern jewelry.

These garnets, from the Almandine family are named as such for the region where they were mined in the South of France. They are known for their beautiful color and brilliance, along with the way the stones were cut. These mines have long since closed making them quite collectible and favored by many (me me me!!!).

These are my favorite gems because there is really nothing exactly like them in the rest of the world. Only a small number of craftsmen knew the multi step, intricate methods used to produce them using the foil and collet settings to create this distinctive looking jewelry. In olden times Perpignan Garnets were thought to cure blood disorders and excessive anger, and symbolized constancy and loyalty.

This ring has a larger garnet set into the center that reflects more a deep fuchsia color, with many in the halo of stones reflecting a bit more purple. This is another thing that I love about these garnets are the wonderful hues - which really light up when they catch the light. It is amazing that despite their rich color and wonderful hues, they actually sparkle! When I was photographing it in the sun, it was shooting rainbows and specks of light similar to the way diamonds do! I'll stop raving about these stones now and hopefully let the photos / video speak for themselves.

Please note the measurements as I have small fingers and it can be difficult to determine scale from pictures. Antique box is not included.

MEASUREMENTS:
Size: 7 3/4.
The center stone is about 7mm.
Ring face: 13mm diameter
Height off finger: 6.5mm tall.
Weight: 2.6g.

IMPORTANT CONDITION NOTES:

Please also note that I take some photos / videos in the sunshine because it captures the lovely color and sparkle, but it also highlights any surface wear, scratches, abrasions, buildup or inclusions that can catch the light, making these things appear worse than they would with normal day to day wear. : ) Hopefully the pics in all lightning conditions help as they serve as part of the description. I have additional photos shown on my website and feel free to request more videos in other lighting conditions.

There are some nibbles and abrasions to the domed rose cut / "Perpignan cut" facets and a deeper scratch to the center stone. Again these really light up in the sun but with normal wear, the piece actually has a lovely sheen and polish along with its beautiful color.

There are two points of solder within the ring face not visible when wearing. This was likely to secure the wires used in the fabrication of the piece to secure the center stone. Note that these wires are not a repair - they Always used this fabrication in the making of these pieces. I have had in in the past where the wire loosens allowing the raised center stone to move so I assume that is why solder was added, which has done its job in securing it.

The edges of the shank are worn thin to leave a blunt edge so the shank is on the thinner side depth-wise, but is stable with a nice width all the way around. The stones are also stable but with a bit of wear to some of the collet edges. Typical age related wear and some spotting to the foil backs seen under magnification but it is an all original piece so it is as expected, to even better than many where stones have been replaced or heavily abraided to dull, which is not the case with this one.

I pretty much always recommend gentler wear on my 140 year old pieces and with this one having closed back foiled settings, we should avoid getting them wet so as not to deteriorate the foil (although with the rich color of the stones any deterioration is much less visible than a foiled diamond setting where the stone is see through to the back.)

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 : )

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