Object Description
A beautiful old cut diamond and aquamarine ring by Hancocks, centred with a bright and lively old European brilliant cut diamond weighing 1.34ct and of J colour and VVS2 clarity in claw setting between shoulders channel set with calibre French-cut aquamarines, all in a finely crafted platinum mount with hand engraved scroll work details.
Maker
Hancocks
Period
Contemporary
Origin
London
Gemstones
1.34ct J VVS2 old European brilliant cut diamond with GIA certificate
0.46cts total of French-cut aquamarines
Setting
Platinum with maker’s mark and London assay marks
Weight
4.2 grams
Dimensions
UK finger size L, US size 5.75
Head 7.5mm Band 2.5mm
Condition
New
Directors Notes
The old European brilliant cut is the forefather of todays modern round brilliant cut diamond. It was developed towards the end of the 19th Century when new machinery was invented, in particular the motor-driven saw, which allowed diamonds to be cut in attractive, symmetrical round shapes without wasting the excess rough crystal that was cut off. This revolutionised the industry and gradually, through a process of trial and error, cutters discovered which proportions produced the finest balance of brilliance and fire within these new round stones. Diamonds were now able to dazzle even in the dimly candle-lit rooms of the turn of the century. Along with their characteristic polished culet facets, finely cut old European brilliants can be distinguished from their modern counterparts by their higher crowns and smaller table facets. These features combine to create a greater amount of spectral colour-flashes from inside the stone than we typically see in modern cut diamonds.