Sunday, April 14, 2013

Mastery of Design: An Openwork Diamond and Gold Ring



Ring
Forked Openwork Gold Shoulders
Rectangular openwork bezel-set diamonds lined in gold.
1775-1825
France
The Victoria & Albert Museum


At first glance, this impressive diamond ring appears to have been produced during the Art Deco period. However, it’s a much, much earlier creation, the work of a French jeweler dating between 1775 and 1825.

Mounted atop a band of “forked” openwork gold with a pattern that mimics the top surface of the ring, European-cut diamonds are set in silver, lined in gold. The cut of the diamonds is quite advanced for the age of the piece. They’re a few facets beyond the traditional European-cut diamonds and bordering on the modern brilliant-cut.

This ring was part of the collection of Dame Joan Evans who donated this, and other pieces, to the Victoria & Albert Museum. 







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