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Lot 171
A ruby, synthetic ruby and diamond cocktail ring, circa 1940
20 September 2017, 13:00 BST
London, New Bond Street£5,000 - £7,000
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A ruby, synthetic ruby and diamond cocktail ring, circa 1940
Of bombé form, decorated with calibré-cut rubies and two synthetic rubies, in invisible settings, between single and baguette-cut diamond scrolling shoulders, mounted in platinum, partially struck French maker's mark, French assay mark, ring size L
Footnotes
Accompanied by a report from GCS stating that a sample of fifteen rubies were tested and eleven were found to be of Burmese origin, with no indications of heating; two of Thai origin, with no indications of heating; and two as synthetic corundum. Report number 77106-53, dated 13 June 2017.
In 1933 both Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels patented a new technique that enabled gemstones to be mounted without any visible traces of metal between them. The innovation, inspired by antique micro-mosaics, allowed sections of a jewel to be paved entirely with small, bespoke-cut gems. Van Cleef & Arpels became jeweller-par-excellence of the technique, presenting their first jewels in 1937 and going on to produce ever more sophisticated creations. However, because it was also a very expensive way of setting gems - they had to be cut in a certain way that sacrificed part of their weight - Cartier rarely employed the method and Boucheron only dabbled with it until 1946. Although unsigned, this is an early example of the revolutionary 20th century technique known as "invisible setting".