Jade Ring in Rose Gold, circa 1940s

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Jade Ring in Rose Gold, circa 1940s

About the Item

A beautiful, saturated cabochon of 100% natural and untreated jadeite jade is simply presented in this classic rose gold setting from the Retro era of the 1940s. The jade is a deep, evenly-toned forest-green that features a gleaming high-polish. The lush inner grain is on full display so if you like jade with natural stone texture, you'll love this ring. The mounting is ruddy rose-gold and the very red coloring of the gold is the perfect complement to the deep green of the jade gemstone. To achieve this color, a lower-karat of gold was used —10K— allowing for more copper and a much richer, rose-colored gold. It was obviously an aesthetic decision because the jade cabochon is very fine quality as is the construction of the ring. The interior of the band —at the rear— was made thicker at some point in the past, most likely as a result of a re-sizing. This extra metal cannot be seen (or felt) unless you inspect the interior of the shank. I mention it because it's there, not because it matters. I personally love this rich forest green. It looks so arresting in all light. In the dim light, it dips into "imperial" territory. There's little to no yellow to this green, which I also really value. Some people —Americans especially— are dismissive of 10k or lower gold. It says, "cheap," to many people. But one has to understand that the laws of the universe as we know them fall apart when it comes to jade. You see, in the Chinese culture, jade is the most revered and most highly-valued gemstone. It is considered "the stone of heaven," a gem of divine magnificence. It is the superior to the ruby, the diamond, and the emerald because it is jadeite. Pure, 24-karat gold is metal. We call it a "precious metal" because we decided as a people it was precious. Which is fine; which is great. But it's a metal and you can find it all over the world. The rivers of Connecticut are filled with gold. Tiny dandruff-flakes of it, but still: gold. The rivers of Connecticut are not filled with jadeite; in fact, there are very few deposits of the stone in all the world and by a long, wide mile the best jadeite comes from Burma. So, when this ring was crafted (most likely in China) in around 1940, gold had not achieved the respect that it today enjoys in that nation. So the focus when creating this ring was: how can we maximize the visual impact of the gorgeous jade stone? The answer was right there on the color wheel: green's opposite is red. Thus, rose gold. And to get that rich red meant copper. Today we are accustomed to seeing spectacular pieces of jade set in magnificent platinum, gold & palladium settings, decorated with sapphires, diamonds, and rubies. And I'm all for it. But I'm also all for doing things old-school. And that's what this ring is: a fine, old-school men's jade ring that will last for another 100 years without blinking. And when I call it a "men's ring" I am referring only to its origin. Obviously, anybody who loves this ring could and should wear it. It's very comfortable to wear. Once you slide it onto the finger, the narrowness becomes apparent in a way that perhaps wasn't when you were merely looking at it. Some rings are chunky all the way around and you have to adjust. With this ring, you slide it on and thirty-seconds later you can't feel it anymore. I purchased this ring from another jade collector and I was given a very reasonable price, which I am passing along to you. This is a great opportunity to perhaps introduce yourself to jade and understand why so many people are obsessed with it. I'm not only a professionally trained gemologist but a second-generation jade collector. I have loved this stone my entire life. Some of my best memories from childhood are visiting my grandparents in Lawrenceville, Georgia in the hot, hot summer and spending hours touching their magnificent and enormous jade collection: rings, statues, necklaces, bracelets. All of it always a few degrees below temperature. Jade does something magical and transformative to light. It's not like moonstone, it's not like opal. It's jade. You must experience it to appreciate it. The jade ring on your finger at dawn looks entirely different outside at lunch and changes once again as you enjoy rooftop drinks in the early evening. In bed, as you read, your jade ring has once again shape-shifted. Of course, if you collect jade you know all of this and your reason to be interested in this specific ring would be for the color and texture of the jade. Normally, I like to have all my jade jewelry (except for authentic Ming's and Gump's which do not require certification) certified by a lab to reassure my clients. However, shipping outside the 1stdibs network has become risky here in rural New England because of the global health crisis facing us all. However, I guarantee this is 100% natural "A" grade jadeite jade from Burma. Currently a size 9, your local jeweler could resize it if needed.

Metal:
10k Gold
Stone:
Jade
Style:
Retro
Place of Origin:
Unknown
Period:
1940-1949
Date of Manufacture:
Circa 1940
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use. A wee bit of soldering wonkiness on the interior rear shank of the ring; not visible from the outside. It's like an extra layer of metal added to thicken the rear of the shank for mysterious reasons.
Seller Location:
Southbury, CT
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU158919204572