Rare Antique Ring with Amethyst and Diamonds, Late 18th Century

The world before the start of the “long 19th century”—that conceptual framework coined by historian Eric Hobsbawm, spanning from the French Revolution to the outbreak of World War I, which gave rise to our modern forms of society, democracy, and capitalism—was an entirely different one. The world may have felt smaller, for it was a time before globalization. The railroad had not yet radically shortened long journeys. Luxury goods made of precious stones, which had traveled very long distances, were accessible only to a very select few: the nobility and, in only isolated cases, the bourgeoisie. This ring hails from that foreign, now-vanished world. Set in a closed setting, it features an amethyst at its center, flanked by two table-cut diamonds in silver settings. The characteristic C-curves connect the stones when viewed from the side. The ring shoulders are adorned with subtle floral motifs. The ring was crafted from silver and a low-karat gold alloy. Rings in this elegant, delicate style were widespread at the courts of Central and Western Europe from the mid-18th century onward. However, they continued to be crafted well into the 20th century as masterpieces of German goldsmiths, which sometimes makes dating them rather difficult. We therefore subjected it to X-ray analysis in addition to our usual examination. Its metal composition clearly points to an early date of origin, likely as early as the 18th century, or at the very latest the beginning of the 19th century, when the courtly styles of the Rococo remained in fashion in rural areas and among the wealthy bourgeoisie. This phenomenon—the adoption of courtly fashions by the bourgeoisie—is also known as “trickle-down.” The ring found its way to us from Munich. It is a wonderful and, moreover, still wearable testament to a bygone era.

Estimation:€2,490

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