European Georgian Rubellite and Diamond Ring Fit for a Duchess

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European Georgian Rubellite and Diamond Ring Fit for a Duchess

About the Item

The artistry of this ring is miraculous: the delicate foliate design that so cunningly holds the old, table-cut diamonds; the voluptuous profile; the way the thin 14K greenish gold band expands like a blossom to hold within silver the three impeccably colored and scarred-by-time rubellite tourmaline gems. The center stone is oval, 10.54 mm x 6.2 mm and approximately 1.80 carats. The oval side stones are both approximately 7.5 mm x 5.3 mm and together weigh just shy of 1.20 carats for a total of 3 carats. All of the rubellites display beautiful color and flash, despite the fact that each stone has the expected abrasions and flea-bites. One of the side stones, however, has had its table (the top flat facet) almost entirely sheared off. Obviously, one could have this stone quite easily replaced but to do so ought to land one in prison, frankly. Because that damaged (though perfectly stable) side stone is what made me fall in love with this ring. I imagined a duchess wearing the ring and fleeing, in great and dramatic distress, down one of the stone corridors of her castle and allowing one of her flailing hands to glance against the limestone wall. The ring is difficult to date but my best educated estimate places it squarely in the middle of the eighteenth century. If nobody has replaced that stone over the last two-hundred-fifty-years (give or take), why do it now? Those of us who love antique jewelry love it for its character, its mysterious history, and all the stories absorbed into its metal and gems. Replacing the stone would be a mistake. And as it happens, the fracture is quite clean and seems not at all to impair the stone's ability to dazzle. Think about that for a second. This gemstone had its top facet sheered clean off and yet it continues to look magnificent. If that doesn't encapsulate the spirit of survival and triumph over adversity I do not know what does. This is a rare and important piece of jewelry. It is likely of German origin but there are no hallmarks. The workmanship is of the same caliber one sees in jewels made for monarchs of the period. This ring was unquestionably created for the gentry or aristocracy. The piece has no hallmarks or metal fineness marks of any kind as is typical of Georgian pieces. The metal is entirely handworked and therefore without the pitting one might see on a more contemporary piece pretending to be Georgian. If you happen to be a duchess, this ring will be perfectly at home in your collection. If you'd like to feel like a duchess sometimes, perhaps one fleeing down a corridor, then this is the ring for you. The ring is currently a size 4.5 and could be resized by your jeweler.

Stone:
Rubelite,Diamond
Stone Cut:
Oval Cut
Weight:
4 g
Style:
Georgian
Place of Origin:
Unknown
Period:
1790-1799
Date of Manufacture:
circa 1800
Condition:
Replacements made: diamond replaced. Minor losses. I hate checking "fair" because it doesn't seem, well, fair. Yes, the stones have gone through battle but they are all the more magnificent for it. This ring is flawless because of its imperfections.
Seller Location:
Southbury, CT
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU158916842181