c. 1900 Art Nouveau Floral Diamond Ring

A c. 1900 Art Nouveau ring, of chased and bloomed 18k yellow gold in a stylized crossover design, featuring two old mine cut diamonds (0.9 ctw, eye-clean) and rubies set along enameled floral tendrils, linked together by a ladybug. The relative density and fervidness of form suggest influence of ‘modernisme català’ jewelers such as Lluís Masriera i Rosés, and may point to Spanish workmanship. The exceptionally elongated ring face, nearly stretching knuckle to knuckle when worn, is a design feature popular in Art Nouveau rings. Often marquise shaped and highly stylized with figural or botanical motifs, these designs—reduced to fundamentals—are really adaptations of the late Victorian and Belle Époque bypass crossover rings. Compositions almost always feature two design ideas continuing uninterrupted from the left and right shank, swooping to crossover at the center, and flaring out top and bottom in opposite directions. Symbolizing the union of two elements (and often accented by ‘toi-et-moi’ gems), the bypass ring is particularly suited for Art Nouveau design with its emphasis on sinuousness of form and movement-driven linearity. The Art Nouveau revolution in jewelry design is further defined by a returning of individualized artistry into the jeweler’s craft; freedom from slavish repetition means that often no two Art Nouveau jewels are exactly alike. Unsigned examples are attributed and dated via workmanship traits. The present ring’s hand-fabricated figural chasing, acid-treated ‘bloomed’ gold, enameled floral motifs, old-cut gems, and naturalistic design form are all representative of c. 1900 Art Nouveau. For other examples of Art Nouveau bypass rings from this period, consult Christie’s lot 54 from the 15 June 1999 sale, Sotheby’s lot 138 from sale n01724, and Bonhams lot 322 from the 17 Oct 2007 sale.
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