Heritage of love: diamond engagement ring from the 1910s

A perfect example of Belle Époque elegance, this engagement ring dating from around 1910 combines romantic charm and luxury. Crafted in 18-carat yellow gold and platinum, it is adorned with five old-cut brilliant diamonds, complemented by ten rose-cut diamonds. This ring captures the essence of an era known for its sumptuous lifestyle and artistic prowess. More than just a piece of jewelry, it is a token of eternal love and a window into a time when extravagance and style were celebrated, making it a timeless treasure to add to any collection.

Object group of antique jewelry
engagement ring (or anniversary ring)

Condition
very good condition
more information on our condition scale

Style
Belle Époque - 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. Taking place during the era 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 United States, newly wealthy and emerging from the Panic of 1873, this comparable era was called 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.
more information on styles

Style specifics
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 era of the French Third Republic and the German Empire, the "Belle Époque" was named retrospectively, when it began to be considered a "golden age": the great European powers and 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 period was called the "Gilded Age." In the United Kingdom, this era coincides with the end of the Victorian era and the so-called "Edwardian era."

In the Belle Époque, cheap coal and 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 in the Belle Époque. Exotic feathers and furs occupied a more important place than ever in fashion, with 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 grounds for the rich, and the Opéra Garnier devoted immense spaces to staircases, similar places of 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.

Period
around 1910
Events and facts of this period, poetry of this period, fashion of this period.

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

Additional information
Diamond is the birthstone for the month of April and, in addition to being the most popular gemstone for engagement rings, it is also the anniversary gemstone for the 10th and 60th wedding anniversaries.

Although diamond is the hardest of all gemstones known to man, its composition is the simplest: it is made of ordinary carbon. The Ancient Greeks believed that diamonds were splinters of stars fallen to Earth. Some even claimed they were the tears of the gods, crystallized lightning, or hardened drops of dew. The exact origin of diamonds remained a mystery for centuries.

In ancient times, only kings wore diamonds, as a symbol of strength, courage, and invincibility. Over the centuries, diamond acquired its unique status as the ultimate gift of love. It was said that Cupid's arrows were tipped with diamonds, whose magic was unrivaled.

But it was only in 1477, when Archduke Maximilian of Austria gave a diamond ring to Mary of Burgundy, that the tradition of diamond engagement rings began. The very reason a woman wears it on the third finger of her left hand dates back to the Egyptian belief that the vena amoris (vein of love) ran directly from the heart to the tip of the third finger of the left hand.

Diamonds
Five old brilliant-cut diamonds with an estimated weight of ± 1.04 ct, color and clarity H/J, vs/si
Ten rose-cut diamonds. We do not have the weight of the diamonds, which is usual in our trade for rose cuts.
All diamond weights, color shades, and clarity are approximate as the stones are not removed from their settings in order to preserve the integrity of the mounting.
All the diamonds we offer are checked by the IJGC to determine whether they are natural or synthetic, and all the diamonds in this jewel are 100% guaranteed to be natural.

Birthstones
Diamond is the birthstone (or month stone) for the month of April.
more information about birthstones

Features
No marks.
more information about hallmarks

Dimensions
length of the top of the ring 2.20 cm (0.87 inch)
see the image with a ruler in millimeters and inches

Weight
5.70 grams (3.67 dwt)

Continental EU ring size: 57 and 18¼, USA size: 8, UK size: P½

Resizing
Free resizing (only for extreme resizing do we have to charge).
more information about ring sizes

Adin