Description

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Crafted of solid 18K yellow gold, this ring features a cushion cut blue sapphire surrounded by a halo of 9 fiery old cut diamonds....with scrolling details embellishing each shoulder.

Measuring approximately 3.9 x 4 mm, the sapphire has a wonderful deep royal blue color and lovely clarity. The cut is a nice older cushion cut with a high table, showing only very, very slight wear to the facet junctions on one side of the table under magnification; It looks really great to the naked eye....particularly for it's age. I would estimate it's carat weight to be approximately .30 to perhaps .35 carats, or so.

Nine very bright, white and fiery rustic old cut diamonds create the halo around the central sapphire. Eight are old mine cuts and one is a rose cut diamond. Measure approximately 2 - 2.2 mm in diameter, all the mine cuts have a very chunky look with open culets, though a few are not very deeply cut. The rose cut diamond measures just over 2.2 mm in diameter and is very sparkly, as well, especiallly for a rose cut stone.

I would judge the color of the diamonds to be in the H-I-J range of near-colorless though they face up very white, indeed. The rose cut doesn't appear quite as white as the mine cuts, due to it's cut, but still works really well in the halo. They are all eye-clean and under magnification I see only a few small clear inclusions...they really are nice quality old stones. In good original condition, I only see one chip on the edge of one mine cut diamond. Many of the prongs and bead settings do show wear and I would *definitely* have them retipped to protect these lovely old stones!

With a very elegant and striking presence on the hand, the face measures approximately 12 x 10 mm, including the upper shoulders, and has a rise off the finger of approximately 3.5 mm. It's really comfortable on the hand, and once the settings are retipped, the low profile should make it wonderful to wear daily.

The shoulders have lovely scrolling details that are nice and crisp, with a very Victorian feel. The low crown style setting lets in lots of light to the gems, so they look their best.

Still in very good condition, the band has just a little thinning, and I do think it was once sized in the past, but done nicely, and to the side at the back of the band. (to avoid marring the original hallmarks) The hallmarks indicate the ring was assayed in London, and with the date mark being only partly legible (it's quite worn on one side) I can't be sure of the precise date it was made. Given what I can see of the date letter, the very latest it could be would be 1906-1907, though I think it was likely made earlier. The total weight of the ring is a nice 3.60 grams.

Size 6 on my ring mandrel, the ring fits a little on the snug side on my finger. It could be sized within reason by a good jeweler, though if it is sized up I would expect more gold to be added at the back of the band. **Please read my policies page for more information regarding sizing and feel free to message me to discuss it or to obtain a quote from my trusted bench jeweler.

You may choose to have the ring arrive in the old, worn English ring box it arrived to me in, or I would also be happy to send it in a new, antique style ring box, if you prefer. (please leave me a message in the "Notes to Seller" box at checkout if you would prefer a new box...otherwise I will send it in it's old box. Thank you!)