RingSpotters

Marquis Diamond and Ruby Halo Ring

Here's a uniquely shaped diamond and ruby cocktail ring for you with a "halo-like" setting. Definitely an inspiration piece for a bride who is interested in a non-traditional engagement ring.  

Green Sapphire and Diamond Cocktail Ring

It being the first full week of September, we thought we'd celebrate sapphires - the birthstone for this month. You may not know this little piece of trivia, but not all sapphires are blue. In fact, they come in a variety of colors...even green!  Today's ring is a light green sapphire and diamond floral cocktail ring that is such a delicate beauty. And, its an antique!

Miner Cut Engagement Ring with Octagonal Halo Setting

We are re-featuring today's ring because not only did we realize that this is an antique miner cut diamond, but we also received the fascinating back story to this ring. How could we not?

The stone was given to this bride's great grandfather by the Czar of Russia while he was a guest at his home. The stone, which is over 100 years old, was reset into this fantastic octagonal halo setting by Schwanke-Kasten. Old miner cut diamonds are extremely rare today as they were the predecessor to the modern round brilliant cut diamonds. Just gorgeous!

Cut: Miner 

Setting: Octagonal halo with pave band

Jeweler: Schwanke-Kasten

Miner's Cut Rings

Miner cut diamonds, also known as the Old Mine cut date back to the 1830's and got their name because the diamonds were taken from old Indian mines. These diamonds maintained their popularity till the end of the century, and today, you can only find them in antique stores as diamonds are no longer cut with the Miner Cut facet designs. This is the early form of the modern round brilliant cut (because of it's facets), but more resembles the cushion cut because of its square shape.

 Image source: http://hendersonvillejewelers.com/store/images/Hville%20Pics%20034_edited.jpg

The Cocktail Ring

RingSpotters loves cocktail rings. We love the bold colors, spirited designs, and chic edge they give an outfit. Who knew that cocktail rings became popular during the prohibition in the US?  Apparently, women wore these fashionable pieces at illegal "cocktail" parties -- always dressing up to the nines and showing of their glamorous bold rings. Soon enough, these cocktail rings became status symbols in the '40's and '50's and have continued to be fashionable, chic, and definitely fun to wear.

This week, we would like to feature to some fabulous cocktail rings we have received.  From colorful gems to diamond studded pieces, they are definitely excellent accessories and eye candy galore. 

Amethyst and diamond antique cocktail ring set on yellow gold from the 1940s

Antique Emerald and Diamond Art Deco Ring

This emerald and diamond ring is over 60 years old and was made in the Art Deco style. Famous for using bold colors and geometrical shapes, Art Deco rings also incorporate a lot of emeralds, rubies and sapphires, very much like the beautiful and oh so unique pinky ring featured below. 

Cut: Emerald and 23 round brilliants, with baguettes on the side ringing the side of finger all the way to the bottom.

Carat: 4 carat emerald

Setting: Platinum, art deco

 

Jeweler:  Tabor in Beverly Hills.  1950s.

Vintage, Antique, and Estate Rings

Its very easy to get confused with ring jargon - especially when it comes to the difference between vintage, antique, and estate rings. Here's the lowdown...who knew?

- A "vintage" ring can mean different things to different jewelers. Some use it as a a catch-all term meaning "an old ring", while others use it to mean a ring that was made to look like it was from another era.
-An "estate" ring is anything less than 50 years old 
-An "antique" ring specifically refers to one over 50 years old.  

• Victorian Antique Rings (1835-1900):  Often set in yellow or rose gold, Victorian antiques have both simple elegant designs to very intricate ones. Many Victorian settings feature rows of diamonds, cut with an extra facet on the bottom (Called "mine cut"). 
• Edwardian Antique Rings (1900-1920):   Platinum became popular! Rings often had lacy and pierced shapes, milgraining, scrollwork, and filigree detail (details that suggests a lace pattern) on the mountings. Rose-cut diamonds and brilliant sapphires became popular.
• Art Deco  (1920-1930): Characterized by colorful, contrasting gemstones, geometric designs, and platinum, diamond packed rings for a glittering streamlined look (think Chrysler Building).   Art Deco rings are currently the most popular antique engagement rings for newly engaged couples.

Here's a look at Madonna's engagement ring to Guy Ritchie...an Edwardian style "vintage".

Cut: Round Brilliant

Carat: 5 carat

Setting: 3 stone Edwardian style vintage ring with milgrain detail

Jeweler: Neil Lane

About this ring: Madonna was one of the first celebrities to wear a three stone engagement ring. Ritchie had this one of a kind ring made especially for her.

Heirloom Ruby and Diamond Ring

Today we feature a ruby and diamond heirloom ring that has been passed on from mother to daughter. We love the unique and detailed setting and the way the baguettes encircle the center stone. It is absolutely breathtaking! Heirlooms such as these are special because not only are the gemstones and metal recycled, but they carry a significant history and mystique with them.

Cut: Center Diamond Euro-cut surrounded by 17 tapered baguette rubies

Carat: Center stone 1.35, baguette rubies 1.5 ct total, side panels pavaed with 5 large and 6 small diamonds, approx 2ct total.  

Setting: Lady's platinum doughnut style and pave

About this ring: "This ring was purchased for my mother by my father in the 80's.  It definitely is much older than that.  I called it the 'Wheel of Fortune Ring' as a child because the rubys looked like the wheel to me."  

 

 

Emerald and Diamond Necklace

Today we feature an emerald and diamond necklace whose emerald stones go back four generations. The emeralds were originally part of a necklace that was said to carry a curse. Because of the misfortune that befell this family, the necklace was destroyed and two of the emeralds were reset into the necklace pictured below.  We are absolutely fascinated by this story, and although we don't normally feature necklaces, we couldn't pass this one up.  

Cut: Round brilliant necklace with two emerald gems

Jeweler: Design by my grandmother and executed by TABOR of Beverly Hills in the '60s.

A Jewelry Story: "My great grandfather, on one of his trips to Paris, saw a most gorgeous emerald necklace, which he bought for his wife, who was very fond of jewelry. When he purchased the necklace, the jeweler warned him that there was curse attached to it.  It was purchased by Emperor Napoleon to give to one of his sisters, of whom misfortune befell onto her family.  The tale goes on to say that the necklace may have been owned, not by Marie Antoinette, but by her husband's cousin, who was very close to Antoinette, Princess Therese de Lamballe, who was also killed brutally during the Reign of Terror in 1792.  My great grandparents shrugged this off, not believing in superstitions.  

My family believes that the necklace did carry a curse.  My grandfather's family was brutally killed during WWII by the Japanese Imperial Army in February 1945.  My grandfather's brother was beheaded weeks before when he was caught listening to a short wave radio. Ironically, my grandfather was the only survivor because he was, at that time, in a Japanese Prison. 

One of few survivors of the massacre came to my grandfather weeks later carrying the jewels that he was able to save of his mother. One of them was the emerald necklace.  When my grandfather married my grandmother, she broke the necklace into many pieces.  She reset two of the larger emeralds into another necklace - shown above."

Heirloom Round Brilliant Engagement RIng

This engagement ring dates back to the 1920s and is an heirloom piece with a rich history.  We love the antique setting of the rounds and marquis diamonds, and love its story even more.  

 

Cut: Round brilliant center stone, set to either side are 3 single cut diamonds and 2 marquis diamonds.

Carat: Center Diamond approx .93 carat

Setting: Platinum

A Jewelry Story: This ring is very special to me, mainly because of the story behind it.  In the early 1920's, the ring itself was my paternal grandmother's engagement ring.  After my grandmother passed, my aunt inherited the ring, but when my father decided to propose to my mother, my aunt sent him the ring.  BUT she sent it with ALL the stones removed.  So, my father bought all the stones for it and gave it to my mother.  10 years later, my maternal grandmother passed away and my mother swapped the stone in her ring for my grandmother's stone, since it was a better quality stone.  Now that it belongs to me, it is truly a family heirloom, having parts from both grandmothers and my mother and being in my family for 90 years.