Antique "Five-Stone Ring" with Opals & Diamonds in Gold, c. 1905

At the turn of the century in Great Britain, hardly any other type of ring was as popular as the so-called “five-stone ring.” As its name suggests, this type of ring features five gemstones—either all the same or alternating—set in a row. The stones are set close together on the narrow band and secured in understated settings, giving the impression that they are floating on the finger. Women of that era typically wore several of these rings on one hand, combining colours and materials to suit their own tastes. Here, five opals from Australia are set in yellow gold and paired with small diamonds. The opals are cut into flat cabochons and shimmer with a milky-white luster, featuring green and blue—and, more rarely, red—sparks. Thanks to the small diamonds in the corners between the opals, the front of the ring looks like a shimmering ribbon. As early as 1889, when the Australian opal trend was just beginning in Europe, the German women’s magazine *i* *Der Bazar* had noted the combination of opals with diamonds: “Truly an excellent combination, as the brilliant-cut diamonds lend their brilliance to these semi-precious stones and thereby produce wonderful color effects.” (Der Bazar, Vol. 35, 1889, No. 48, December 23, 1889, p. 509) The ring was crafted in the years shortly after 1900 and was likely made in continental Europe for the British market. We discovered it in London.

Estimation:€890

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