Victorian 2.75 Carats Antique Old Mine Cut Diamond Five Stone Ring Gemset Prong Spacers 18k Gold Rare Chunky Ornate Band

ABOUT:

This is one of the larger five stones I've been able to source and I just love it. An elegant Victorian beauty with the beautifully detailed setting holding five chunky old mine cut diamonds.

This ring totals around 2.75 carats but remains stackable and versatile to wear. It's quite similar to one in my personal collection that is always met with rave reviews on Instagram. Many have asked in the past if I might release it so here is your chance to twin with me : )

Ornate scrolled setting with diamond spacers / prongs (a few are missing) for added sparkle. I love viewing it from the side to see the lofty crowns of the antique hand cut diamonds popping out of the ring face.

Found in the UK, It is stamped with the old 18CT hallmark for 18k gold. It also has a maker's mark.

The prongs are in a white precious metal, I believe platinum but I don't scratch test them for fear of damage. The majority of the piece is in yellow gold and reads as such while wearing. The prongs were reinforced on the north south edges of each of the larger diamonds prior to me receiving it so this one is ready for regular wear.

Comes as pictured in collectible antique leather box which has value on its own. It is not original to the piece but we collectors love these antique boxes so I am including it.

Please note the measurements as I have small fingers and it can be difficult to determine scale from pictures. Feel free to check my website or request more photos or video as I have many besides those allowed here.

SIZE & MEASUREMENTS:

Size 6 1/2 a little over. Weight is 4.6 grams. The ring face is 7.2mm north south and 5.2mm off the finger to the high crown of the center diamond..

The center diamond is about 5.9x5.4mm and about .86 carat alone.
The flanking two are about 5.5mm cushion cuts measuring over half a carat each.
The end stones are about 4.2 round and nearly .4 carat each.
I would not remove them for exact carat weight but I am getting around 2.75 carats total weight in diamonds.

My items do well without paperwork and the modern Four C's scales were invented long after this ring was made so I don't have any certificate or paperwork on the piece as I prefer not to remove stones from these antique settings. The four C's scales don't apply very well to one of a kind hand cut antique stones anyway but I wanted to pass along the information that was given to me.

IMPORTANT CONDITION NOTES:
Nice to find such an old beauty in ready to wear condition.

Of the diamond spacers, 4 of the eight are present. The others are vacant but I decided to sell it as is because sometimes gluing in or repairing would cause those areas to stand out even more than just having the little settings vacant. Since the settings are in the white metal, they almost serve as an illusion setting where they can shine and catch the light so I don't find it glaring that some are missing but something to look for in photos, and of course having them replaced by your local jeweler is always an option, I just found it quite pretty as is.

Three of the five diamonds are eye clean. The center stone has a carbon pocket inclusion that can catch the light but is somewhat hidden being situated over the culet so this is slightly eye visible. The other has a smattering of frosty and cloudy speck inclusions also slightly eye visible. Also typical for antique stones they possess a slight warmth but some of this is from the chunky cuts and how they reflect the light. They are fun old cuts with slightly freeform shapes and some with an off center culet - clearly hand cut and one of a kind - I love!

I do want to note for you though that the prongs are blunt. As they were reinforced they are quite tall and long so when you rub your finger across the face of the ring, it is a bit... I don't want to say sharp but it can be felt compared to smoothed over 150 year old gold. I suppose that is the trade off to get it so ready for daily wear but I wanted to mention it as it relates to how it "feels."

Some patina and cloudiness to the inside of the setting not at all seen while wearing and does not affect the piece in any way, but likely occurred when heat was used to reinforce the prongs.

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 : )

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).

Many of my listings include group shots – I find the comparisons between pieces help show scale, diamond hues, etc. All items in group shots are inventory, but refer to the website to see what items have sold out and to watch for new listings from the grouping to appear on the home page.

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My items do very well without paperwork so I have not sent the stones for certification but always provide as much detail as possible with measurements, condition notes and many extra photos (see website) to capture it true to life in various lighting conditions, which can be translated to grading scales if desired.

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. (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 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.”