Antique Perpignan GARNET Oval Almandine Cluster Ring French VICTORIAN Era 18k Gold Vine Leaf

ABOUT:

Mouse's FAVORITE gemstone alert!

Despite the fact that I seem to have at least one Perpignan garnet piece in the shop at all times, these are actually not easy to come by and especially rare to find in the USA. It's just that I'm super passionate about them and collect any that I can get my hands on. And since I have a lot of partners in France in addition to the trips I take over there throughout each year, I seem to always have a Perpignan piece to offer.

Evidently I will not rest until everyone in the jewelry world adores and treasures them as much as I do - tee hee ; )

An all original all French antique piece with their hallmark for 18k gold. This one is uncommon in that is has a beautiful leaf design at each shoulder complimenting the impressively large oval center stone - the majority of these clusters usually have smaller stones so this one is really impactful.

Note that the video highlights the surface inclusion 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 better than most 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: 6 3/4.
The center stone is about 11.5x8.5mm.
Ring face: 17x14mm diameter
Height off finger: 6.5mm tall.
Weight: 4.8g.

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 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.

The piece actually has a lovely sheen and polish along with its beautiful color.

The center stone moves slightly due to its fabrication with it being attached by wire and loop to the halo portion of the ring face. NOTE that these wires are Not a repair - they Always used this fabrication in the making of these pieces so it also quite common to find the center stone able to move slightly.

One side stone has a chip to the surface right up against the prong but appears complete / round while wearing. The stones are in better than most condition for age with wonderful glossy sheen and sparkle.

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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