ABOUT:
Beautiful old mine cut solitaire with a sunburst / starburst illusion setting to the face where the the diamond is held in prongs but the white gold surround is faceted to accent the bright stone.
Openwork basket setting with tapered shoulders. The diamond has a nice depth to it and is about .45 carat.
Beautiful engagement ring, the perfect stacker, and also a beautiful worn alone.
Antique box not included.
HALLMARKS:
No hallmarks remain, sold to me as 18k white gold from a reputable source.
SIZE & MEASUREMENTS:
Size 9. The diamond is 4.5 mm and has a deep cut, measuring around .45 carat. The ring weighs 3.1g.
IMPORTANT CONDITION NOTES:
All my pieces are pre-owned and in estate condition. The prongs aren't super long so they have a bit of wear but the stone is secure. Something to keep an eye on over time. No nicks or chips to the diamond but it is a typical antique diamond with some inclusions including a slightly warm carbon feather inclusion that is slightly eye visible just outside the table. It also has some needle inclusions seen only under magnification. No damage to the diamond. Some surface wear but a very wearable piece. But Due to age - please note this is not a mint condition item.
Thanks so much for looking at my items!
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 each stone to enhance it 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 the individual beauty or sparkle of an antique diamond. Antique diamonds are judged more on the individual character and uniqueness that each one potentially offers.”
Box#Dc.!2$
