Art Deco Old Euro Diamond Solitaire
A glorious old Euro diamond provides the focal point of this Art Deco era solitaire engagement ring. The stone is bright and lively, approximately 1.20 carats in weight with an icy white colour (or lack thereof) and myriad flashes of rainbow 'fire' as the light plays over the pavilion facets. It's set in a crown-like platinum prong mount, with more platinum running down the shoulders to contrast yellow gold band.
Ironically, at the time this beautiful ring was made the popularity of the diamond solitaire engagement ring was on the wane, particularly amongst younger couples. The discovery of diamond deposits in South Africa in 1866 made diamonds accessible, for the first time, to those of lesser means (than the aristocracy and nobility), but by the end of WW1 they began to fall out of fashion, then even more so during the Great Depression. By the end of the 1930s it's estimated that only 10% of American engagement rings contained a diamond. So what happened? How was the style, near ubiquitous throughout the latter half of the 20th century, ultimately revived? One word: DeBeers. They launched a marketing campaign in 1939 - possibly one of the most successful in advertising history - based around educating the public on the 4 Cs, and later incorporating the phrase "a diamond is forever". It was a tricky balancing act... on the one hand they had to convince the public that every married woman should have a diamond on her finger, while on the other they had to maintain that diamonds were exceptionally rare and covetable. The sales of diamonds in the United States rose from $23 million to $2.1 billion between 1939 and 1979.
Era: Art Deco, circa 1920
Ring size: N or 6.75 US. Resizeable for £55
Head size: 7.2mm by 7.2mm
Stone: 1.20ct Old European Cut Diamond - G/H colour, SI2 clarity (calculated weight)
Marks: None, tested as 9ct gold and platinum
Condition: Good antique condition, one claw is worn and will be re-tipped prior to shipping
Full appraisal document provided with each item
This includes a valuation for insurance purposes, item specifics, date, and origins (where applicable)
Gemstones are tested by an accredited gemmologist (Cert GA, Gemmological Association of Great Britain)
Shipping
Express shipping is free of charge and carbon offset
Tracked and insured with signature on delivery
UPS Express (International)
RM Special Delivery (UK domestic)
Buying a Gift?
Leave a note at checkout and we'll include a handwritten note to the recipient. Just tell us what you'd like to say
Resizing
Ring sizing is available on most rings
£55 flat fee
Resizing takes 7-14 days
Leave a note at checkout with your desired size
Note: sizing may remove some of the patina (although we take every care to reduce this where possible)
Layaway
A 25% deposit will be taken to secure the item. The remaining balance will be settled in 90 days. You can pay installments weekly, monthly, or the full balance at the end - whatever works.
Condition
We offer detailed and accurate condition reports on each listing. These pieces are antique, vintage, or pre-loved, often over 100 years old so they're going to have lived a life. A healthy patina and the odd scuff/scrape are quite normal... it's part of their charm! Everything we present has been checked over by our jeweller and should be good for wear for many years to come (unless otherwise stated) but please remember to treat them with appropriate care and consideration for their age.
More Questions?
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alex@lostowl.jewelry
An inscription can be added inside the band, where space allows. Add 2-3 weeks to shipping times
Add a note in the cart* with your desired size and/or inscription
*shopping cart, not the checkout