c. 1820 Georgian Regency Diamond Cluster Ring

A c.1820 Georgian Regency floral cluster ring, set with 15 old mine cut diamonds (approx. 0.94 ctw) in cut-down collet settings, the shoulders charmingly scrolled and chased in a style representative of the decade. A related diamond floral cluster ring from the same period is illustrated on p. 135 of Georgian Jewellery 1714-1830 by Ginny Redington Dawes with Olivia Collings. A continental variant of this type is in the Musée National de la Renaissance (Ecouen, France). The essential design elements—a flowerhead-like central cluster flanked by about three gems to each side, with chased shoulders—was one of the most popular design types for c.1820s rings. While fewer examples in diamonds survive, those set with pearls and color gems like turquoise are well-documented. Two such rings are illustrated in Rings 1800-1910 by Verlaine Davies (fig. 33, 41). The early 19th c saw a pendulum swing back to the diminutive and the ornate, a shift away from the gargantuan plaque rings of c.1780-1800 Neoclassicism to Rococo sensibilities; this fashion shift coincided with the restoration of the Bourbon monarchy (thus a return of pre-Revolutionary design) and an early Romantic preference for revivalist styles. The renewed focus on floral motifs, foiled gems, and gold ornamentation evoke the shapes and techniques of the Rococo era. For instance, it could be argued that the heavily chased goldwork of the 1810-30s is a revival of a similar style popular between 1710-60 (see British Museum 1961,1202.35).
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