This very wonderful early ring is of the Georgian Jewelry period of 1760. The ring is set with a single, hand cut diamond that is estimated at two (2) carats. The diamond is measured as 8.2 mm across while it is in the setting, which converts to 2 carats. It is protected by the cap under the setting so it is not known how deep the gemstone is within the cap. The cap has been opened so that the underside of the diamond could be cleaned. The cut of the diamond is called a Rose Cut Diamond. The gemstone is set in 18 karat Rose gold. Twelve prongs plus the cap hold this diamond in the setting.
A bit of background on the diamond gemstone; Diamonds, known for over 3000 years, were probably first found in India as loose stones associated with the sand and gravel of riverbeds For centuries they were thought to possess magical powers, no doubt because of their hardness and luster, and were kept, uncut, as sacred objects or important treasures of state by the religious and political leaders of the day. Being regarded as talismans, it was thought that they would lose their powers if they were altered in any way. It wasn't until the 11th century that diamonds were first worn, in their uncut form, as adornments. However, with the use of diamonds in jewelry, sometime in the 13th century it became known that a diamond's appearance could be enhanced by grinding and polishing of the rough crystal. This was achieved by polishing with diamond dust at angles varying slightly from those of the original octahedral faces to form a point cut. A major advance in faceting came about with the introduction of the polishing wheel, in the middle of the 14th century. This led the way for brighter diamonds with increased facet pattern complexity. In this same era the rose cut appeared. Rose cut diamonds were very popular in the 18th century. During the early 18th century, Brazil, the new center of world diamond production, gave rise to the old-mine cut, forerunner of the modern brilliant cut having 33 crown and 25 pavilion facets, the same 58 facets as today's round brilliants.
Antique Diamonds: When judging diamonds in antique jewelry, one must be careful not to judge antique diamonds by modern standards. Antique diamonds have a soft romantic glow that many people find very appealing. Antique diamonds typically have smaller tables, higher crowns, deeper pavilions and thicker girdles than their modern counterparts. Antique diamonds were cut to maximize carat weight, not "fire". That's why the proportions of old diamonds are quite different from their modern counterparts. Also old diamonds often have carbon dots within the stone, this was not an issue with the people who cut the gems and the wears of the early diamonds. This diamond does have spots of carbon.
Diamonds were cut by hand until the early 1900's. This was a laborious, time-consuming process. Unfortunately, many antique diamonds have been re-cut with modern cutting techniques. This has caused demand for these old cut diamonds to soar in recent years, along with the prices that people are willing to pay for them.
Rose Cut Gemstones: Rose cut diamonds were introduced as early as the 1500's and were popular until the early 1900's. The shape of a rose cut diamond resembles the petals of a rose bud. The bottom is flat. The crown is domed shaped and the facets meet in a point in the center. The number of facets varies from 3, 6, 12, 18, to 24 facets.
Life in our County at the time of this ring in 1750 -1760 as written in Wikapedia:
Before the colonization of the Americas, the Eastern area of served as a trading post for Native Americans in the region. After the establishment of the Boston settlement by John Winthrop in 1630 and the creation of a local shipbuilding industry, the port served the rapidly expanding American colonies. During that time, trade involved finished goods from England in exchange for lumber, fully constructed vessels, rum, and salted fish.
With the rapid growth of the Mid-Atlantic colonies in the 1750s, the ports of New York and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania began to surpass Boston for inter-colony trade. In response, Bostonian merchants established trade with foreign nations besides Great Britain. This trade led to a huge increase in wealth amongst Bostonian merchants. However, the British government's imposition of regulations restricting trade to Great Britain, combined with newly enacted taxes on the colonists, caused Bostonian merchants to join the more radical elements in American society. After the Boston Tea Party , the British Parliament passed the Boston Port Act which shut down the port until the East India Company was compensated for the damaged tea. These actions led to the American Revolutionary War.
It is not known who made the ring, in the American Colonies there were Jewelers in Boston, Philadelphia, Charleston and New York to name a few cities. Jewelry was important from England and Europe as well. Most diamonds in this time in history were cut in Antwerp Belgium.
This diamond ring is in wonderful condition and the band is very strong. In the time in which this ring was made the gold is mixed with Platinum as an alloy to make the gold stronger. The process was time intensive and labor intensive and was not done after the 19th century. The size is now 8 3/4 and can be resized it needed, without diminishing the value. The rings band is 5 mm wide at the rings shoulders and 4 mm wide at the back of the band. This is a ring that is approximately 250 years old. The ring is a great investment, strong and beautiful to wear.