Certified Untreated Men's Jade Ring from Midcentury

View Similar Items

Men's Jade Ring with Rubies, Diamonds, Custom, 18k, Certified Untreated

Men's Jade Ring Carved Pegasus Midcentury Certified Untreated Size 10

Lavender Jade Ring with Diamonds, Midcentury, Certified Untreated

Midcentury Jadeite Men's Ring Certified Untreated, Eccentric Lux Quality

Jade Ring Midcentury Sage Green Certified Untreated

Jade Ring Emerald Green Certified Untreated Circa 1960s

Jade Ring with Diamonds Certified Untreated, Circa 1950s

Jade Ring Hand Carved Band Certified Untreated Size 9

Jade Ring Hand Carved Band Certified Untreated Size 6

Jade Band Ring Hand Carved Certified Untreated Size 9

Lavender Jade Ring Midcentury Certified Untreated by Ming's

Lavender Jade Ring Certified Untreated

Want more images or videos?

Request additional images or videos from the seller

1 of 16

Certified Untreated Men's Jade Ring from Midcentury

About the Item

This was a "life lesson" ring for me. By that I mean this ring taught me even more about one of the most important things in my life: jade. I first saw this ring in profile, so it was initially the hand-carved, Art Deco-inspired band that attracted me. There was such "swing" in the lines, emotion that can't come from a machine-carving. There was optimism in the engraving work. I mean, as far as the shoulders of a gold ring can be described as "happy," this ring had very happy shoulders. But the jadeite—which I knew was untreated the instant I saw and touched it—was under awful fluorescent light and it just didn't look great. The stone certainly had presence. It measures 14.33 mm x 10.55 mm x 3.47 mm which works out to a little shy of 5.5 carats. It held an unusually high polish, indicative of finely-grained, high-quality jade. But it was mottled when I held it up to the light; a splotch of green here, a little patch over there. And the body of the stone seemed kind of grayish. But I got that feeling I get in my chest when I am near something extraordinary. Even if I don't consciously "get it," some part of me does and I physically feel it. I walked out with the ring, put it away in the vault and went on with my life. Many months later I opened the vault, saw the ring and said out loud (to myself), "Oh. You." I slipped it on my finger. I was driving later in the day and glanced at my hand on the steering wheel to find that the jade had transformed into the glassiest, most luminous stone I had seen in years. The color was perfect and evenly distributed throughout the ring. It truly looked like deep apple jade, one step below imperial jade. I didn't crash but that's another life lesson I learned that day: when you're driving, drive. This ring was my first experience with the "shape-shifting" quality of jade. Sometimes a piece of jade looks perfect and it always will. But another may look different when it's backlit, more mottled or less saturated. Then you put it on your finger and it transforms into something stunning and impossible. No other gem that I can name does this. Not only that, it changes throughout the day. If you love a piece of jade in the morning, wait until you see it at lunch. And then at dusk, which is when jade gathers up all the light it can and it glows. It doesn't matter if the stone is red or green or yellow or white. As sunset approaches, jade performs magic. Photographing it was like trying to take a picture of a vampire in a mirror. Look at the ring on white, then look at it on my finger. That is the same ring. If that isn't magical, I do not know what is. This 14k gold ring has a metal fineness mark but lost its English maker's mark during a previous resizing. Currently a size 10, this ring could be resized by your local jeweler, preferably with a laser welder. Originally created for a man it's obviously not a "man's ring" but rather a "jade ring." For anybody who appreciates the power of transformation. It would make a great wedding band for a man instead of plain metal. A great ring to slide on and never take off. The ring ships with a certificate from Stone Group Labs (SGL) stating the jade to be natural Burmese jadeite without any treatment.

Metal:
14k Gold
Stone:
Jade
Weight:
9 g
Style:
Art Deco
Place of Origin:
United Kingdom
Period:
Mid-20th Century
Date of Manufacture:
Circa 1965
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use. Ring is in immaculate condition. There is evidence of a prior resizing but this is negated by the lack of wear on the engraved shoulders and the jade stone is perfectly polished to a glass sheen.
Seller Location:
Southbury, CT
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU158917072412