Elegant "Retro Style" Ring with Diamonds & Synthetic Rubies, c. 1940

In the late 1930s, Parisian jewelry houses in particular developed a variation of Art Deco that is known today as the "retro style". This new fashion differed from the cool diamond and platinum designs that had characterized the previous decade with warm gold tones and expansive geometric shapes. This new style soon spread throughout the Western world; film stars such as Marlene Dietrich with her legendary ruby bracelet (see here) made it famous worldwide. This ring from around 1940 is a wonderful example of this fashion. It is designed with bold asymmetry and is almost sculpturally decorative. In the center, it bears further contemporary witnesses of modernity: synthetic rubies. These caused a sensation in the early 20th century and were often used alongside diamonds in pieces of jewellery in the Art Deco and retro styles. Here, five stones are set as a red band and placed in an arched element. A pair of diamonds are also set at right angles to this in an arch shape, set in a platinum track. On the side, the picture is different again. Here, the ring, which appears so solid on the front, is open and playful. Golden curls allow a view through and make the pieces of jewellery even more exciting! The ring is in very good condition and is a wonderful example of a wearable retro-style jewel. More on rings from the 1940s and further illustrations can be found in David Bennet and Daniela Mascetti: Understanding Jewellery, Woodbridge 2010, p. 400f.

Estimate:£1,409.8

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