ABOUT:
Ever popular French antique diamond half hoop band ring in 18k gold with 7 nice sized old mine cut diamonds set in silver collets as was customary during the time to set the diamonds in white metal. The great thing about this one is it has an open back which is a bit uncommon, as we usually see these closed back and foiled. The piece has not been altered, it was made this way, so while it is still 100% antique, I suspect it is Victorian era and not Georgian.
The diamonds graduate in size and vary in shape with some being cut quite chunky. My favorite is the one with the pale yellow hue of course! : ). But a lovely sparkle and classic, perfectly stackable design gives this one a great antique look. The shank is 18k rosy gold along with the back of the collets which are also in gold so that the silver settings of the diamonds do not rub on the finger and transfer tarnish.
Some of the old cut diamonds have crown facets that are long and triangular scissor cuts with high crowns. Some are more rectangular, oblong or cushion where the others are more round. It is always fun to find uniquely hand cut antique diamonds!
Found in France with their hallmark for 18k gold and silver. This is what you see in pictures on the side of the shank - this is not damage but an intentional stamping.
Antique box is not included. Please note the measurements as I have small fingers and the pictures can make it difficult to see scale.
MEASUREMENTS:
Currently measures a size 8, a little under.
Exact carat weight of old cut stones is unknown as the depths vary and they widen out an unknown amount in the silver collets where we also cannot view the girdle size. I would never remove the diamonds from their antique settings, but estimated total carat weight is around 1.3 carat.
The center stone is 5x4.2mm and about a third of a carat / 0.33. The next adjacent pair are about 4mm each and more round, a little over .25 carat each, the next two are 3mm and then about 2.7mm on each end.
This is just the measurement of the visible portion of the diamonds, because then the collets curve up and over the girdles of the stones so we don't exactly know where the diamond end and the collet begins.
Ring face is 7.3mm north to south on the finger and end diamond to end diamond is 22mm wide east to west. It stands 3.5mm tall off the finger and the piece weighs 2.6 grams.
IMPORTANT CONDITION NOTES:
The center stone has a visible warmth flanked by two that are whiter in color. The end stones also have a slight warmth with one being a gorgeous pale yellow in color. It does not stick out like a sore thumb but you can see it in direct sunlight. With normal wear it looks like varying warm to white hues as we expect to see on antique pieces with multiple hand cut stones. Many diamonds during this period came from mines that produced warmer rough stones.
Also typical that they have some natural inclusions. The center stone is eye clean but the others have some frosty spots and two have carbon specks. Two stones on one end appear quite frosty overall, one from some shallow flakes of loss to the surface and the other from an inclusion that carries up to the surface leaving a crease. These are the smaller stones so it is not glaring and they have a nice sparkle but you can see this more when you study them. They all appear complete in shape and fill the collet settings so none are cracked in have or have loss to the edges but there are a few tiny gaps here or there between the edge of the stone and the start of the collet so we don't usually recommend daily wear on pieces of this age. None of the stones move but there is a bet of wear to the collets. The yellow diamond is square / rectangular in shape and is set at an angle in the collet which is round. The shank is a bit thin north south from age but has some depth to it to make it sturdy and keep it from flexing. Something to discuss with your local jeweler if sizing is desired. Sometimes you can email or text photos for feedback from the person doing the work as opinions vary greatly with modern jewelers working on antiques.
Love old mine cuts in collet settings, especially in the easier to wear open backs.
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).
Box#qc.!%2
