ABOUT:
Ever popular old mine cut diamond cluster ring - I can't seem to acquire enough of these! This one is a chunk and it is unique in that two of the diamonds are yellow - one being quite vibrant greenish yellow and the other a lighter champagne yellow! Also the shape - the ring face is a stiriking square with the setting slightly stones domed / curved atop the ring face . The center holds the largest stone and is raised slightly above the others. The nine old mine cuts total around 2 carats total weight in antique diamonds. And such a quirky little babe with the mix of hues to the diamonds. The stones are cushion cuts with some of them being set at an angle.
Just a wonderful chunky glittery cluster crafted in 18k white gold. The stones have nice high crowns making it fun to view the piece from the side. This one will be in heavy rotation on my finger until it sells. Making the piece even better are the sturdy prongs which we love to see on antique pieces, making this beauty ready for daily wear. Unique old cut cluster for a versatile and impactful look.
French hallmarks for 18k with a goldsmith stamp.
Antique box not included. Please note the measurements as I have small hands and it can be difficult to decipher scale from photos.
SIZE & MEASUREMENTS:
The ring is a size 4 1/4 with a double banded shank. Should be sizable in that there are no stones set into the shank so curving it shouldn't affect the ring face and the prongs are very sturdy - but opinions can vary with modern jewelers working on antiques so always best to double check with the person doing the work to determine their comfort level. The piece weighs a sturdy 5.1 grams.
Exact carat weight is unknown as I would not remove the stones from the setting but estimated around 2 carats total weight in diamonds. The center stone is the largest at 4.2mm with a chunky cushion cut that measures over .3 carat alone. The others measure 3.5mm to 4mm each. The nine diamonds total around 2 carats total weight in diamonds.
Stands 8.3mm off the finger, the ring face is a little over 12mm square.
IMPORTANT CONDITION NOTES:
All my pieces are pre-owned and in estate condition. This one is ready for daily wear with nice, long prongs holding each stone securely and no damage to any of the stones. As mentioned they vary in hues. They all have some warmth to them, which is often found and adored in old cut diamonds, with one being true yellow, one a lighter champagne color, and there is one other that reads slightly warmer under magnification but does not read as champagne. Also typical in that they have some natural inclusions. The yellow diamond and a few others are eye clean. The center stone has one eye visible carbon spot. Two stones have one indented natural inclusion, a shallow notch along the outside edge of the table facet. GIA defines this as a dent that occurs under the surface of a diamond as a result of the diamond cutter's decision not to polish it off, because doing so could end up harming the diamond so the cutters would work around it - this is not considered a defect or blemish but under magnification you can see the irregular area. These two spots are only very slightly eye visible if you study the surface edge in a reflection to see the interruption. Anything else not mentioned are faint inclusions that are not eye visible.
You should be able to detect the hues in the photos and videos as they are true to life with some taken in sunshine which enhances that warmth. I and many other antique jewelry collectors actually enjoy finding these unique characteristics in pieces from the period. You will also notice while wearing the piece, the diamonds have a moody sparkle with the stones being set at an angle so they are not all viewed from the top down - it's quite wonderful. Timeless piece - I love this one.
Shank is very sturdy. But Due to age - please note this is not a mint condition item.
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 : )
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 these stones to enhance them, 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 their individual beauty or sparkle which are based more on their individual character and uniqueness that each one potentially offers.” Just an interesting comparison of antique vs. modern diamonds. : )
Thanks so much for looking at my items!
Expedited shipping with signature upon delivery will be at my cost.
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