Object of the Day: An Antique Child’s Diamond Ring

This tiny ring was made in the mid Nineteenth Century to be worn by a child. Set in fourteen karat gold, a small European-cut diamond rises proudly on an elegant Belcher Setting. A Belcher Setting holds the diamond in a series of exaggerated and prominent prongs which are styled as a continuation of the shanks of the ring. Belcher settings elevate the stone from the ring and allow for light to pass into the diamond from the underside as well as the top.


While children’s jewelry has fallen slightly out of vogue in recent decades, our Victorian forebears often presented children with jewelry which mimicked the look of the pieces worn by ladies and gentlemen of good standing. Children’s wardrobes were often scaled down copies of popular fashions, allowing youngsters to learn how to carry themselves with dignity.

This wee ring is adorned with an organic pattern on the shanks and looks very much like the sort of ring worn by a well-heeled gentleman of the era.