Unusual Ring with Opals and Diamonds in Silver on Gold, c. 1900 and later

Fairy Light

Unusual Ring with Opals and Diamonds in Silver on Gold, c. 1900 and later

€ 2,390.00 ^*

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!

In 1894, a correspondent for a famous jewellery magazine described the opal as “that exquisite stone with its fairy light dancing over its delicate surface.” For decades, the iridescent gemstone had been discredited as a bringer of misfortune. However, when magnificent opals from Australia reached Europe in the 1890s, society could not resist the gem’s mysterious beauty —for it fit so perfectly into a cultural milieu in which the enigmatic paintings of Symbolism, the decadent tales of Oscar Wilde, and the otherworldly poetry of Stefan George were being discussed. This ring seems tailor-made to showcase these qualities of the opal—even if that was not its original purpose, for it appears to have been reworked in an earlier era from a component of another piece of jewellery and combined with the opals to form a ring. The fact that this occurred early on is also evident in the ornamental, hand-crafted band, which, when viewed from the side, forms spiral tendrils. The opals, shimmering with every movement, mark the ends of the ring. Between them, curved leaves and tendrils wind their way, upon which diamond roses shimmer as if in a moonlit garden. The dynamic lines and the shape of the leaves reveal influences of the Neo-Gothic and Art Nouveau styles, whose forms often overlapped at the turn of the century. We discovered this extraordinary ring in Paris; it bears French import marks, so we can say with certainty that it was not made in France but in a neighboring European country. The quotation is from Elsie Bee, “Through the Vista of Past Fashions,” *The Jewelers’ Circular*, Silver Anniversary (1894), pp. 78–81 (here p. 81).

Size & Details

Fairy Light

€ 2,390.00 ^*

Content 1 piece

Incl. VAT, Shipping

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

Fairy Light

Rings

Privacy settings