GEORGIAN c1810-1815 ROSE GOLD, DIAMOND AND ENAMEL ‘FEDE’ LOVERS/MOURNING RING
£890.00
DESCRIPTION AND CONDITION
Hand made of a pinky rose gold in a minimum 10ct. Prior to the official recognition of lower gold carat weights in 1854, there was no official ‘recipe’ for creating coloured gold. Rose gold was very popular in the later Georgian period, and smelted from yellow gold, silver and copper, with different weights of each determining it’s final shade. I suspect that the ratio of silver to copper here is high, to produce this pretty and delicate shade. To the internal wall and reverse of the face is some light pitting, and paler spots indicative of hand mixing. The silver content means some tarnishing has occurred, mainly between the narrow crevices of the flower setting. I think however that this offers an attractive contrast that complements the black enamel and so I have not attempted to clean this area. As noted, I believe the diamond here has come from an earlier jewel, quite typical of a period during which precious stones were of vastly more limited availability, made more so by the impact of the Napoleonic Wars. The stone measures approximately 4x3x1.5mm. It is in the characteristic ‘flat cut’ of many Georgian gemstones; sliver cutting made the most of the stones volume by increasing surface area, it is of the simple rose cut: again maximising the diamonds size by minimising losses caused by cutting simple flat planed facets. By raising the stone in this style of mount, it is exposed to the maximum light to increase refraction and enhance sparkle. There are some age commensurate losses to the enamel, in areas exposed to the greatest wear, but overall condition is extremely good.
PRODUCT DETAILS
Size: UK P, US, EU
Materials: MINIMUM 10ct ROSE GOLD/ BLACK ENAMEL/ NATURAL DIAMOND
Origin: UNITED KINGDOM
Era: GEORGIAN
Original: YES
Outstanding and incredibly rare, this unique, one-of-a-kind ring bears the deeply symbolic motifs of true love, and fidelity. Known as ‘fede’ rings due to the symbolism of joined hands, the original figural motif of clasped hands (or a ‘handshake’) was a symbol used on wedding rings in Ancient Rome, and stood for Love, Loyalty, Fidelity and Trust. The symbol began to appear again, but as a sign of betrothal, or gift of friendship, on rings during the medieval period, before the symbol-loving Georgians embraced it once more, no more used as betrothal or wedding rings, but on gifts given between friends or lovers. In the early 18th century the design developed to sometimes include a symbolic motif between, but still joining the hands. By the Victorian period this central motif was typically a large flower set with either 5 or 6 pearl ‘petals’ and a central gemstone, or else a flower set with coloured gemstones; many of these Acrostic rings, the initial of each gemstone petal spelling a ‘secret’ message such as ‘regard’ or ‘dearest’.
These Victorian examples were popular throughout the Queen’s long reign, however Georgian examples are rare, and as personally commissioned jewels are thematically and stylistically unique. None more so than this example. Though much may be lost on us today, very little Georgian jewellery was without meaning of some sort, and gemstones spoke their own language. Diamonds symbolised purity and innocence, but in the context of mourning they also represented tears.
This ring can be dated with an unusual degree of accuracy to c1810-15 Georgian jewellery is not typically Hallmarked (so when you find pieces that are, treat them with caution, it’s highly likely you have a Georgian revival piece, if it does look antique, then it very possibly belongs to the Georgian Revival period of the late Victorian to Edwardian age) so dating is done through a combination of style, construction, signs indicating degrees of machine manufacture, materials, stone cutting and mounting techniques, symbols and motifs.
A very brief fashion c1810-20 for mourning jewellery (typically brooch mounts) featuring incised lines and crosshatching filled with black enamel, mostly seen in the rendering of snake skin in representations of Ouroboros, not only places this ring to within that period, but also suggests – and the symbolic motifs, including the diamond do support this- the possibility it was created in mourning for a lover that though passed on, remains connected for eternity through true love.
The diamond it is set with appears likely re-purposed from an earlier jewel, this is suggested by its unusual shape and rough edges. The Napoleonic Wars negatively impacted the importation of precious metals and gemstones, so re-using materials was common in the early 19th century, with the typical result that the new piece was built around the existing shape of the diamond. It is