c. 1880 Victorian Diamond Cluster Ring

A c. 1880 late Victorian diamond cluster ring, consisting of approx. 2.33 ctw of old cut diamonds (six old mine, one old European, one vintage transitional/brilliant cut) set in raised prong galleries, the 18k gold setting with engraved and black enameled shoulders, and the interior engraved, “Clara from Grammie”. Two similar late Victorian diamond rings, c. 1870-80, are illustrated on p. 51 of “Rings 1800-1910” by Verlaine Davies. The dramatically raised prong setting was an innovation of the late Victoria era; prior to the 1870s, gems were commonly set within enclosed bezels, which offered security but sometimes interfered with light passage through a gem (resulting in the use of foils). Raised galleries of the 1870s-on evolved from belcher and buttercup settings, themselves a revival and modification of Medieval style quatrefoil mounts; ring heads were increasingly hollowed out and the ‘tips’ raised higher, until the gems appear as if suspended on stilts. The resulting effect was that light could pass beneath a gem, thus enhancing their appearance. The present ring has a light and airy quality, as if suspended in light. The combination of milgrain, geometric, and turned ornaments at the shoulders show the influence of the Eastlake design movement.
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