Rare Gimmel Gold Ring with Two Hands with Diamonds, Second Half of the 19th Century

I Am in Your Hands

Rare Gimmel Gold Ring with Two Hands with Diamonds, Second Half of the 19th Century

€ 1,190.00 ^*

Content 1 piece

Incl. VAT, Shipping

Description

This description was automatically translated from German. If you have any questions about this piece of jewellery, we will be happy to help!

This gold ring depicts two hands interlocked, one with the palm facing up and the other with the palm facing down. The two hands are clasped together, forming the traditional motif of a vow of fidelity. The ring consists of two halves connected by a hinge. You can slide them against each other to open and close the hands. The ring can only be worn when the hands are interlocked. Like so many refinements in fashion and taste, the idea for this unique ring also originated in France. It is a type of ring known in Great Britain as a “gimmel ring” (from the Latin “gemellus,” meaning “twin”) and first appeared in Paris in 1211. In fact, it is recorded that Henry III of England purchased such a ring there and gave it as a gift to the Count of Gysnes. In the centuries that followed, Gimmel rings were often given as tokens of friendship or even love; their symbolism of two inseparable halves that fit together appealed to people in France just as much as in Great Britain or Germany. Highly ornate examples with precious details of diamonds or enamel were created, as well as simpler, more practical rings suitable for everyday wear that were worn as wedding rings. The Victoria & Albert Museum has several beautiful examples in its collection; see here. The ring presented here may once have been made as a wedding ring. The cuffs, which frame the hands, are set with small rose cut diamonds, while a small emerald adorns the middle finger of the upper hand. The ring came to us from Lake Constance, and we date it to the second half of the 19th century. For more on the Gimmel ring, see Diana Scarisbrick: Rings. Jewelry of Power, Love and Loyalty, London 2007, pp. 71ff. and pp. 100ff. For examples from Germany, see also Anna Beatriz Chadour / Rüdiger Joppien: Jewellery II. Fingerringe (= Catalogs of the Cologne Museum of Decorative Arts, Vol. 10), Cologne 1985, pp. 194ff.

Size & Details

I Am in Your Hands

€ 1,190.00 ^*

Content 1 piece

Incl. VAT, Shipping

Our Promise

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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.

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I Am in Your Hands

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