3 carat total weight Victorian diamond and sapphire ring, twin / double heart, crowned with a bow - AGL unheated & untreated, 18k / 18c

Two hearts beating as one? The Victorians certainly believed in the symbolism of it, which is why the motif of the twinned hearts wrapped in a beautiful bow was so popular throughout the period. This particular ring is one of the nicer examples I've ever had the pleasure of coming across, with its natural, untreated and unheated sapphires and its old mine cut diamonds. What can I say ... it WAS love at first sight!

Dating to the 1850s, this gorgeous size 8.5 ring is hallmarked 18ct. It features two gorgeously vivid natural sapphires, certified as being all natural by American Gemological Laboratories, the foremost lab for colored stones. The sapphires are bezeled in beautifully milgrained yellow gold, and their weight is an estimated .68 and .55 for a total sapphire carat weight of 1.23. They have minor facet abrasions which are visible under magnification (please see pictures), but at a normal viewing distance on the hand, all one sees is that fabulous, brilliant blue. Perfect for September babies, representing baby boys, autumn anniversaries, or quite simply a love of the hue!

The sapphires are framed by 17 old mine cut diamonds which measure between 2.8 and 3.1mm: they are estimated to weigh ~1.5 carats. The ring is further adorned with a gorgeous single cut diamond of 2.2mm or .04 points at the center of the bow, with an additional 13 rose cut senneille diamonds decorating its curves: they measure between 1.8mm and 2.2mm and are estimated to weigh between .26 and .39 points (rose cuts are notoriously tricky to calculate). All in all, the ring is estimated to carry an additional diamond weight of between ~1.75 and ~2 carats ... the perfect frame for the sentiments that they represent.

The ring is hallmarked 18ct, but is topped with sterling silver in a very thin layer surrounding the diamonds, as is typical of the period: platinum didn't come to be used until the turn of the century and white gold wouldn't come into play until the 1920s, so jewelers who wanted a contrast-free backdrop for their glittering white diamonds would coax delicate prongs from silver. This ring provides an exemplary demonstration of the techniques virtues.

Despite its venerable age, this ring is in fabulous condition, and very wearable. It can be easily sized, but keep its measurements in mind: it provides full finger coverage at a size 8.5, which is only to be expected given that it measures a full 20mm across the top of the finger, and 22mm from the peak of the bow to the points of the hearts. A true statement ring, indeed!

As always, if you have any questions or desire additional pictures, please don't hesitate to contact me.