Object Description
A beautiful old cut diamond ring by Hancocks set to the centre with a bright and lively old European brilliant cut diamond weighing 0.95ct and of J colour and VS1 clarity in a platinum claw setting between tapering shoulders set with 0.36cts of rich green calibre-cut emeralds, all to a finely crafted, ornate 18ct yellow mount with hand engraved scroll details to the gallery and band.
Maker
Hancocks
Period
Contemporary
Origin
London
Gemstones
0.95ct J VS1 old European brilliant cut diamond with GIA certificate
Calibre-cut emeralds weighing 0.36cts total
Setting
18ct yellow gold and platinum with maker’s mark and London assay marks
Weight
2.9 grams
Dimensions
UK finger size L, US size 5.75
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.