ABOUT:
This is an attention grabber with 27 chunky old mine cuts totaling over 2 1/2 carats encrusting a large ring face.
Found in France, the piece is crafted in platinum with a larger old mine cut at center with a nice high crown totaling around .65 carat alone, completely surrounded by additional old mine cuts. The cobblestone face has a lovely texture and the most amazing sparkle with the diamonds quite fiery. Very fun to wear with a large footprint on the finger. A special piece.
No hallmarks remain which is actually common for French pieces as they are marked in the back and often lost during a sizing or from wear. But sold to me from a reputable source in France where the standard is 18k and tested to confirm.
Antique box is not included. Please note the measurements as I have small fingers and it can be difficult to determine scale from pictures.
MEASUREMENTS:
Size: 6 1/2
Weight: 6.2g
Ring face north south and east west measurement: 17mm
Height off the finger: 4.4mm
The center diamond is a chunky cut at 5mm and measures 0.65 carat alone.
The other 26 diamonds each measure about 2 to 3mm with slightly varying depths for a total carat weight of well over 2.5 carats. This is an estimation as I would not remove the stones from the setting for exact measurements.
IMPORTANT CONDITION NOTES:
Typical for old mine cuts, there are slightly varying hues with the center diamond presenting with a touch of warmth, this being the most visible due to its larger size.
There are five stones with a frosty spot or crease on the surface of the stone, the latter being the result of inclusions carrying up to the surface. Of these five two have the shallow frosty flake of loss that is very slightly eye visible if you are seeking it out. All stones are still complete in shape and fill the bezels, it's just a small flake of loss to the surface only that leaves the small unpolished area.
Also typical for old hand cut diamonds with some faint natural inclusions that are very slightly eye visible if you are looking for them to seek them out, but seen more under magnification. No dark or glaring carbon spots. Many of them are eye clean. Overall well matching. As the jewelers of the time used whatever stones they had available to them. Of course this was long before the millions of modern machine cut diamonds that are produced each year now which is what makes it special. : )
The center stone clicks when you tap it / moves slightly in the bezel but is still held securely. A tiny bit of movement to three or four of the other stones due to a worn prong here or there but they also are still held securely. This would be something to keep an eye on over time.
I love antique diamonds, even those with inclusions or hues typical for the time, because some of those were still among the best available in the market during that period, and were expertly cut by hand to enhance their best characteristics. So I don’t often like to compare antique stones against modern grading standards for machine cut stones with mathematically perfected facets. But these diamonds, for old stones have particularly lovely fire reflecting a noticeable flash with the other colors of the rainbow. So even though the stones were cut long before the 4 C's ever existed, it sparkles really beautifully. I'm amazed by it now as I wear it in low light how glittery and bright it still is.
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 : ). I took several videos so feel free to request more!
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