The legacy of love: bridging the gap between decor and romance

Enchanting harmony of eras, this engagement ring illustrates the transition between the romantic opulence of the Belle Époque and the bold lines of the Art Deco. Dating from around 1920, it features two precious old-cut diamonds nestled beside a radiant pearl, set in an elegant interplay of 18-carat yellow gold and platinum. This ring pays homage to the traditions of historic engagements, evoking a touch of nostalgia and the timelessness of a sincere commitment.

Antique jewelry group: engagement ring (or anniversary ring)

Condition: very good condition
- (more info on our condition scale)

Country of origin: unknown

Style: Between Art Deco and Belle Époque. The Art Deco is an eclectic artistic and design style that originated in Paris in the early decades of the 20th century. Emerging in the 1920s, it lasted until after the Second World War. The term “Art Deco” was widely used for the first time after an exhibition in 1966, referring to the 1925 International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts, which marked the peak of high-end modern style in Paris. Carried by the best designers in the decorative arts, such as fashion and interior decoration, Art Deco influenced all areas of design throughout the 1920s and 1930s, notably architecture and industrial design, as well as visual arts like painting, graphic arts, and cinema. At the time, this style was considered elegant, glamorous, functional, and modern. - See also: Art Deco.

The Belle Époque is a period of European social history that began at the end of the 19th century and lasted until the First World War. Occurring during the era of the French Third Republic and the German Empire, it was retrospectively named “Belle Époque”: it began to be seen as a “golden age.” The great European powers, new technologies improved life, and commercial arts adapted Renaissance and 18th-century styles to modern forms. In the United States, newly wealthy after the Panic of 1873, this comparable era was dubbed the Gilded Age. In the United Kingdom, this era overlapped the end of what is called the Victorian era and the period known as the Edwardian era. To learn more about the styles

Style specifics: It is something between the Belle Époque and the Art Deco.
The Belle Époque (in French "Belle Époque") is a period in European social history that began at the end of the 19th century with the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871) and lasted until the First World War (1914-1918).

Taking place during the time of the French Third Republic and the German Empire, the "Belle Époque" was named retrospectively, when it began to be regarded as a "golden age": the great European powers, new technologies improved life, and commercial arts adapted Renaissance and 18th-century styles to modern forms.

In the newly wealthy United States, after the panic of 1873, this comparable era was called the "Gilded Age." In the United Kingdom, this period coincides with the end of the Victorian era and the so-called "Edwardian era."

In the Belle Époque, coal and cheap labor contributed to the cult of the orchid and allowed for the perfection of fruits grown under glass, while the apparatus of state dinners extended to the upper classes; champagne was perfected during the Belle Époque. Exotic feathers and furs took on a more important role than ever in fashion, haute couture being invented in Paris, the center of the Belle Époque, where fashion began to evolve according to an annual cycle; in Paris, restaurants like Maxim's reached new splendor and prestige by becoming parade venues for the rich, and the Opéra Garnier devoted immense spaces to staircases, similar venues for spectacle.

After the middle of the century, railways connected all the major cities of Europe to spa resorts like Biarritz and Deauville; their carriages were strictly divided into first and second class, but the wealthiest began to order private carriages, exclusivity being the mark of opulent luxury. The bohemian lifestyle acquired a different glamour, practiced in the cabarets of Montmartre.

Art Deco
Abstract motifs and geometric shapes are typical of the Art Deco period. The Art Deco moves away from the soft pastels and organic forms of its predecessor, Art Nouveau, and draws inspiration from many early 20th-century styles and movements, including Neoclassicism, Constructivism, Cubism, Modernism, and Futurism. Its popularity peaked in Europe during the Roaring Twenties and continued in the United States until the 1930s. Although many design movements have political or philosophical roots or intentions, the Art Deco is purely decorative.

Period: around 1920
- (events and facts of this era, poetry of this era, fashion of this era)

Material: 18-carat yellow gold and platinum (tested on the touchstone)
- (more info on precious metals)

Additional information: Engagement rings were used in Roman times, but their return to the West did not occur until the 13th century. The first documented use of a diamond ring to symbolize an engagement was by Archduke Maximilian of Austria at the imperial court in Vienna in 1477, during his engagement to Mary of Burgundy.

Before the 20th century, other types of engagement gifts were common. Before the end of the 19th century, the bride-to-be often received a thimble rather than an engagement ring. This practice was particularly widespread among religious groups that rejected jewelry. Engagement rings only became the norm in the West at the end of the 19th century, and diamond rings only became widespread in the 1930s. Today, 80% of women are given a diamond ring for their engagement. (Source: Wikipedia)

Diamond(s): An old European cut diamond with an estimated weight of ± 0.71 ct. (color and clarity: H/J, si).
An old European cut diamond with an estimated weight of ± 0.80 ct. (color and clarity: H/J, si).
40 single-cut brilliant diamonds (also called 8/8) with an estimated weight of ± 0.60 ct. (color and clarity: G/J, vs/si).

Total number of diamonds: 42 pieces.

Total diamond weight: approximately 2.11 crt.

- All diamond weights, color shades, and clarities are approximate, as the stones are not removed from their settings in order to preserve the integrity of the mount. Furthermore, all diamonds are checked by the IJGC laboratory (www.ijgc-worldwide.com) to determine whether they are natural or synthetic. All the diamonds in this jewel are guaranteed 100% natural!

Gemstones: A saltwater pearl (very likely natural)

- All colored stone weights are approximate as the stones are not removed from their settings to preserve the integrity of the mount.

Birthstones: Diamond is the birthstone (or month stone) for April and pearl is for June.
- (more info on birthstones)

Hallmarks: No trace.
- (more info on hallmarks)

Dimensions: ring height 1.03 cm (0.41 inch) x 2.54 cm (1.00 inch) - See photo with a ruler in cm and inches

Weight: 5.70 grams (3.67 dwt)

Continental ring size: 56 and 17¾, US size 7½, UK size: O½

Resizing: free resizing (only for extreme resizing do we have to charge).
- (more information on ring sizes)