XL Fabulous ANTIQUE 2.75 Carat 19 Old Mine Cut DIAMOND Daisy Cluster Ring 14k Gold French Belle Epoque

ABOUT:

Of all the ring requests I receive, the old mine cut cluster is the one in highest demand. And this one is my largest to date with 19 old mine cuts totaling around 2.75 carats total weight in diamonds. Difficult to part with - I'm in love! My favorite thing about it is how the diamonds have color variations from warm to pale yellow to a soft gray, I just love the mix and it gives it such a great antique look. (More comparisons on antique diamonds below.) With the large ring face completely encrusted in deliciously chunky old mine cuts, it is a real show stopper. I have a similar one in my collection with the warm stones so I am regretfully letting this one go.

This piece is assembled from two components, both antique - the old mine cut diamond cluster component has a smoothed over hinge on one side, so may have been an antique pin in a former life? It came to me as is, attached to a comfort fit wedding band. I wonder if the cluster was a family piece passed down. Another thing I like about the fabrication is it stacks beautifully next to bands of similar size. Since the ring face was added atop a wedding band, you can stack multiple bands side by side to where they nest perfectly under the ring face, vs. other cluster rings where the band hits the round face and creates a gap.

Amazing glitter factor with a large footprint on the finger, around 2/3 of an inch in diameter to the ring face, for that chunky antique sparkle. A timeless classic and a real show stopper with exceptional sparkle factor.

I purchased this from a reputable source in France. French hallmark on the back of the shank for 14k gold. The shank is a warm rosy gold with the ring face a slightly paler hue and the inside prongs are a white precious metal, either platinum or white gold, I do not want to scratch test prongs for risk of wear or harming stones.

Antique box in photos is not included. Please note the measurements as I have small fingers and it can be difficult to determine scale from pictures. Feel free to also request more photos or video as I have many besides those allowed here.

SIZE & MEASUREMENTS:

A snug Size 7. Weight is 6.3 grams. The ring face is 17mm and 9mm off the finger. The center diamond is about 5x4.4mm (around .4 carat?) The other 18 diamonds are 2.5 to 3.5mm in diameter with some high crowns and chunky cuts. I would not remove them for exact measurements but just using my caliper, honesty : ) and online calculators and estimates by mm and calculators I am getting around 2.75 carats total weight in diamonds.

IMPORTANT CONDITION NOTES:

As mentioned there is a small hinge on one side of the gallery visible when you turn the ring to its side. An interesting part of its story that I wish I knew! Blunt edges to the wedding band but it is comfort fit so it feels great sliding on the finger.

typical antique diamonds, I can see two stones that have a spot or crease with shallow flakes of loss leaving a small unpolished or frosty area, this is mostly seen with a loupe if you are looking for flaws. The center stone has a few flea bites and nicks to the face edges but again not very visible unless you are looking for them by studying the surface of the stone in a reflection of light. Also typical for antique stones are are some natural inclusions here and there, a small speck or frosty spot, and again nothing glaring and seen mostly under magnification. The ring has a wonderful chunky sparkle and a fabulous warmth to the hand cut stones, often chosen intentionally during this period, long before the four C's were created for grading machine cut stones. They have a nice fire along with their beautiful hues.

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:
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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 for machine cut stones.) 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.) Even inclusions were cut around to accent the best characteristics of each stone.

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: “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.”