Antique Rubellite and Diamond Pendant in Platinum on Gold, c. 1905

The "Siberian ruby" is one of the many names for the red variety of tourmaline, which is also known as rubellite. In earlier times, the majority of rubellites suitable for jewellery production came from the Urals. And the more the color of these gemstones resembled that of ruby, the more valuable the rubellite was. So it is unsurprising that in earlier times the names of the gemstones were easily confused: The best-known rubellite is called "The Great Ruby". This is a stone weighing around 260 carats, which King Gustav III of Sweden gave to Catherine the Great of Russia in 1786. Such a rubellite - brilliant and luminous, radiant pink in colour - was chosen as the centerpiece of this pendant. Weighing around 13.05 ct, the gemstone is cut in the shape of a drop and is surrounded by a precisely fitting pendant that frames it with gentle curves. Diamonds in white platinum make the tourmaline shine even brighter. The special thing about the diamonds is their old cut, which shows that they were already faceted at the beginning of the 19th century. At the time the pendant was created, it was not at all unusual to use old heirlooms that had become unfashionable to source the gemstones for modern jewellery. The beautiful pendant is in very good condition. We have added a matching platinum chain. An independent gemological report is included with the purchase.

Estimate:£8,740.63

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