Elegant White Gold & Platinum Ring with Untreated Sapphire & Diamonds, c. 1920

At the beginning of the 20th century, the fashionable colour for high-quality jewellery was white! Diamonds and luxurious gemstones were set in white metals to achieve a cool, elegant look. As in the 19th century, goldsmiths initially used silver, and increasingly platinum, for this purpose. In 1912, the German company Dr. Richter & Cie. from Pforzheim succeeded in producing white gold – the so-called "White Gold Dorico", which was a real sensation at the time: "White is the watchword today, white is fashionable," announced the Leipzig Watchmaker's Newspaper in 1912 about the new white gold. This ring from the early 1920s is made from this innovative material. At its centre is a precious sapphire. The stone weighs around five carats and is a naturally grown, untreated sapphire of exceptional clarity and intense colour. It shines in a vibrant sky blue – just the right amount, without appearing too dark. The fact that the sapphire is untreated makes it particularly special and rare, as the colour has not been altered by artificial processes. Twenty diamonds in various old cuts surround the sapphire like the petals of a flower. Only under a magnifying glass can you see that the diamonds are set in a thin plate of platinum, which has been rolled onto the white gold. The first white gold alloys often had a slightly warm hue, and the combination with platinum resulted in an even whiter impression. This combination is therefore a characteristic feature of early white gold jewellery. Even under magnification, it can be seen that some diamonds are significantly older than the ring itself. Their cuts indicate that they were taken from an older piece of jewellery to start a new life here. It is possible that the sapphire also comes from the same piece of jewellery. In the economically strained period after the First World War, it was not uncommon to reuse gemstones and diamonds and incorporate them into new, contemporary pieces of jewellery. What is particularly remarkable about this ring is that it completely distracts from the circumstances of its creation at first glance. The fine craftsmanship, the quality of the materials used, and the well-thought-out, elegant design combine to create a wonderful, precious piece of jewellery that speaks of brilliance and beauty, of celebrations and happiness. We were immediately enchanted by it. An independent expert opinion has confirmed the quality of the materials and is included with the ring.

Estimate:£12,724.46

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