The Picture of Dorian Gray

Magnificent Colombian Emerald and Diamond Ring, c. 1905


€ 8,490.00 *
Content 1 piece
Incl. VAT, Shipping
Magnificent Colombian Emerald and Diamond Ring, c. 1905
Magnificent Colombian Emerald and Diamond Ring, c. 1905
Description
This description was automatically translated from German. If you have any questions about this piece of jewellery, we will be happy to help!
During the Belle Époque, the emerald was a special, highly coveted luxury. When Dorian Gray turned to the rarest and most beautiful stones in Oscar Wilde's 1890 novel, he had "three emeralds of extraordinary size and color" procured from the Amsterdam gemstone trade. "There is no reduction in the prices of emeralds. They are simply 'eye-openers' and the despair of anxious buyers," was also written in 1898 in a report on the London gemstone market. And as late as 1904, the Journal der Goldschmiedekunst stated that "emeralds have recently become very rare and therefore extremely valuable". The ring presented here was therefore already a luxurious gem in its day, as it holds a large, radiantly beautiful specimen of this coveted gemstone. The intense green emerald comes from Colombia, the classic and most sought-after source of fine emeralds, and weighs around one and a half carats. It is accompanied by white diamonds in elegantly curved bands. While the diamonds are set in white platinum, a yellow gold box frame holds the emerald to set it off perfectly in terms of color. Judging by their cuts, the smaller diamonds are gemstones that have found a second use here and were set from an earlier piece of jewelry from the 19th century that had become unfashionable. The ring is a so-called "dinner ring", as an elegant evening dinner was the best way to present ungloved hands and luxurious rings in equal measure. A true jewel that captures the splendor of the Belle Époque in the most beautiful way! We have had an independent gemological report drawn up, which attests to the quality of the materials. The quotations are taken from R. F.: "Precious Stones. London Market", in The Jewelers' Circular, November 16, 1898, p. 18, and Margarethe Berlin: "Schmuck und Erinnerungsschmuck", in: Journal der Goldschmiedekunst, 25th vol. (July 30, 1904), pp. 219-221.
Read more
Size & Details
Magnificent Colombian Emerald and Diamond Ring, c. 1905
The Picture of Dorian Gray
€ 8,490.00 *
Content 1 piece
Incl. VAT, Shipping
Our Promise
Our Promise
Our Promise

We want you to be 100% satisfied! For that reason, we examine, describe and photograph all of our jewellery with the utmost care.

You can rely on our years of experience in the trade and our expertise as a professional art historians for reviews of the antique jewellery. As a member of various trade organisations and the British Society of Jewellery Historians, we remain committed to the highest possible degree of accuracy. In our descriptions, we always also indicate any signs of age and defects and never hide them in our photos – this saves you from any unpleasant surprises when your package arrives.

Should you for some reason not be satisfied, please don’t hesitate to contact us so that we can find a solution together. In any case, you can return any article within one month and we will refund the full purchase price.

Learn more