Bold Retro Style Rng with Green Tourmaline & Diamonds, c. 1940

We encounter tourmalines quite rarely in the history of jewellery – until the 1920s. When the dynamic forms of Art Deco conquered the jewellery world, new gemstones and material combinations were also sought. In 1924, for example, the American journal The Jeweler's Circular published a report on the jewellery fair in Leipzig, which stated: "Aquamarines, amethysts, tourmalines, opals and even topazes are preferred as settings to rings, while the desire for pearl set rings can once again be satisfied." (A Word About the Jewelry Exhibit at the Leipzig Fair, from: The Jeweler's Circular, 7 May 1924, p. 65). Green tourmaline in particular experienced a sudden surge in popularity. Although it is quite similar in colour to emerald, it has greater clarity and brilliance. One natural green tourmaline in a mixed cut weighing around 4.10 carats has also been chosen as the centerpiece of this glamorous ring. The stone is lifted up by platinum prongs and accompanied by stripes of diamonds. Their cut reveals that they were cut in the early 19th century and have been repurposed here. A wide band of high-carat gold connects to the ring face. With its deliberately angular design, the ring corresponds to the late Art Déco style, also known as Retro Style, so we date it to around 1940. Unfortunately, no hallmark reveals where the ring was made. The United States would be conceivable. What the hallmark does tell us, however, is that the ring has already travelled a long way and was exported to both France and the Netherlands. The luxurious piece of jewellery found its way to us from Hamburg. We had an external appraisal carried out to confirm the quality of the gemstones used.

Estimate:£6,993.1

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