Antique, Belle Époque Colombian emerald and diamond cluster engagement ring

Provenance

Original to c.1900, this Belle Époque beauty is almost too perfect to be real. 

Set to centre with a natural Colombian emerald with a luscious tropical-green hue. Its elongated cushion shape is extremely rare - to a cut a stone with these proportions the rough emerald crystal would have been impressively large and of very high quality. Its clarity is remarkable given its size, with no notable natural inclusions that distract the eye. Elegantly claw-set in curving 18ct yellow gold claws in an open-back setting which allows light to pool into the emerald, enhancing its almost liquid-like clarity. 

Surrounded by twelve cushion-shape old-mine cut diamonds arranged in an elongated cluster design that mirrors the emerald's form. The old-mine cut is one of the earliest diamond cuts and is used to describe stones which were cut prior to the discovery of the South African deposits. Old-mine diamonds came from the historic mines of India or Brazil, the world's first two known sources of these precious gemstones.

Completely cut by hand, no two old-mine diamonds are ever the same. Imperfectly, perfect, their chunky facets and deep proportions give each diamond its own distinctive character and sparkle. These diamonds exhibit a soft, romantic and endlessly captivating glow as opposed to the sharp scintillation of modern laser-cut stones. A further old-mine cut diamond adorns each shoulder, making fourteen in total with a combined approximate weight of 2.38ct. The gallery is very intricately pierced with an ornate petal-like pattern which compliments the overall design of the ring. The collet follows the emerald's elongated outline and typical of antique rings, the height of setting is nice and low in profile - so despite its grand size, it is perfectly comfortable and practical to be worn.

The shoulders effortlessly flow to an 18ct yellow gold shank that features a beautiful engraved ridge design, reminiscent of a delicate flower stem, that continues around the entire band. This ring is French in origin c.1900 and belongs to the Belle Époque Era. The Belle Époque period spanned from 1870-1914, contemporaneous with the Art Nouveau and Edwardian styles. The exterior of the band is stamped with an eagles head motif, the French hallmark for 18ct yellow gold, as well as a second hallmark which is now indistinct. 

This ring is a very rare and refined example of Belle Époque craftsmanship, which is celebrated for producing some of the finest jewels in the world (think antique Cartier, Boucheron, Chaumet etc.). Emerald cluster rings are scarce enough as it is, with the vast majority of examples featuring sapphires, yet to have an emerald and old-mine diamond cluster ring with the elegant proportions and unusual elongated outline is simply unheard of. We feel so lucky to have this ring in our collection - it truly is a once-in-a-lifetime find. 

The Natural Stones

• Emerald weight: 1ct
• Emerald size: Length 12.2mm; Width 5.6mm; Depth 2.8mm
• Gem Certificate: Natural; Colombian origin; Minor-oil; Elongated cushion-cut; GCS certified #5786-2705.
• Total diamond weight: 2.38ct; Fourteen cushion-shape old-mine cut diamonds.

The Band

• Metal Composition: 18ct yellow gold
• Hallmarks: Hallmarked on the exterior of the band with an eagle's head, which is the French hallmark for 18ct yellow gold. A further hallmark which is now indistinct.

The Ring Overall

• Front Head Dimensions: Length 17.3mm; Width 15.3mm (including shoulders)
• Height of Setting: 5.5mm

General Wear & Condition

• Excellent: all stones are secure and well set, with no damage to the mount. Professionally polished and carefully inspected by our workshop, ready to wear and enjoy.

Unless stated otherwise, gem weights and specifications are estimated (assessed in mount).