Featured Edwardian Beauty or Retro Repro?

Hi all,

I recently got engaged and am absolutely in love with my ring. My partner and I bought online via an auction and I am more than satisfied, but have one question left. The piece is obviously used and at least vintage but is it an Edwardian original or a retro era piece in the Edwardian style?

Ring details, it’s constructed of platinum primarily with a natural/unheated cushion cut sapphire(3ct)in the center. The sapphire is surrounded by an 18k yellow gold, milgrain bezel. And the surrounding halo is prong set with either OEC or transitional cut natural diamonds?? With a few tiny single cuts on the side. Sorry I don’t have better photos, the ring is currently out for resizing.

There are no markings whatsoever except a tiny scratched in inventory number. A jeweler I took it to thinks it may be French in origin.


Thanks so much!

 

Yum.




We like our rocks big & our photos too.

Congratulations!

 

Ooooh, lovely! Very Princess Diana! (And subsequently, Kate Middleton!)

 

Thank you! I was trying to figure that out.

 

You have to select full size for uploaded pix. Otherwise they will be thumbnails. You can do all at once, or one by one, but if you do both, you'll get duplicates. Many, maybe most, newcomers have difficulty just uploading photos, so you did well. After another post or 2, you'll be a pro.

 

If Google AI has cribbed from accurate sources, old European cut diamonds were out of favor by 1930. Can't imagine anyone using diamonds that way just to fake something as Edwardian.

Not sure what this meant:

Some are OEC & some are 'transitional'? Or you're not sure whether to call them OEC or transitional? What would be the transition between OEC & brilliant? My knowledge of diamond cutting is minimal.

 

Here is the information......https://www.gemsociety.org/article/old-european-cut-diamonds/

 

I’m not 100% sure which cut they are. Transitional is essentially considered its own cut. It’s what gem cutters were producing in between OEC and the advent of modern brilliant cuts. My source says they were common between 1920s-1950s placing it potentially more retro if it is transitional. Here’s my source. https://jackweirandsons.com/blogs/n...nCKmSkQ3JEdl3DtRBtkhPbHkgvPF-ShN1SxPhoB3RNq4d (Cited from: https://www.antiquers.com/threads/edwardian-beauty-or-retro-repro.92115/)

 

The second address is for this very page. When I clicked on the first it said page not found. Will try going to the main blog page, but maybe you can fix it by editing the post?

 

https://jackweirandsons.com/blogs/news/transitional-cut-diamonds?_pos=2&_sid=000293344&_ss=r

 

Really not sure, but from this pic they look old cut to me:

 

Same in person, I felt like I could see flat culets. But hoping someone who knows more than I do, could weigh in.

 

That setting looks very good for Edwardian and really well crafted.

 

I was going by the fairly small tables.

 

A stunning ring, and congratulations on your engagement!

From what I see, it looks Edwardian to me. One way to tell if it is a genuine oldie is to check the wear on the millegrain. A period piece should have wear, you will see that some rows of grains are more flat and smooth than others.
I think I see that on your photos, but you have it on your finger and can check with a loupe.

French jewellery is marked. Some antique ethnic pieces have escaped the assayer, but a piece of this period and quality should be marked.

Some Italian makers are faking old cuts for repro jewellery, but the stones look like they are cut by a toddler. They certainly don't have the charm and beauty of genuine old cuts.

Could you post a photo of the back (inside) of the head of the ring?

 

Wasnt gold used with platinum quite a bit in the Victorian period ? What a glorious ring !

 

That ring screams quality. Beautiful and congratulations on your engagement.

 

Luscious, powerfully attractive...
Thanks, all, for the education!

 

Thanks for the info!

The milgrain is certainly worn, with thinner flattened spots around the bezel. It was one of the first condition things I noticed and was shocked to find the prongs in excellent condition.

I know French jewelry is marked but this ring has evidence of being resized in the past. So I’m not sure if the markings were lost before I received it!

I really wish I could or did take pics of the inside. But its currently in the shop having sizing bumps added

 

Yes, marks can be lost that way. Which doesn't necessarily mean it is French, jewellers in other countries worked in the same style.
It does have a Continental feel, and I think Belgium and the Netherlands could be contenders as well.