Antique Ring With Colombian Emerald & Diamonds in Platinum, Circa 1910

"We already look at the green of herbs and leaves with pleasure. But we prefer to look at emeralds, because their green is the most beautiful of all. Moreover, they are the only gems that fill the eyes without saturating them; indeed, if the eyes are weakened by exertions of other kinds, they are strengthened again by looking at emeralds [...] for their gentle green dispels the dullness of them." (Nat. Hist. 37,16) Beauty and effect of the precious stones occupied already the people of the antiquity. The quotation reproduced here comes from Pliny the Elder, a Roman scholar from Como. In the year 77 AD, he compiled the knowledge of the time about nature in a work, the "Naturalis Historia" or "Natural History". The gemstone whose colour he describes here so exuberantly was also chosen here as the centerpiece of a finely crafted ring. It is an emerald from Colombia, with the typical inclusions found only in Colombian emeralds. The natural emerald in emerald cut is set in platinum, we balanced its exact carat weight of 3.76 ct. The stone is transparent and shows a bright, light green colour; its inclusions, called "jardin", give the stone an individual look. The emerald is surrounded by a frame of 14 old European cut diamonds, which add fine sparkle to the ring. The ring is in very good condition and found its way to us here in Berlin, it comes with a detailed certificate from the German Association for Gemstone Evaluation Idar-Oberstein.

Estimate:£10,829.62

View all items fromHofer AntikschmuckorJewellery & Gems