This rare and beautiful ring was made in the 16th Century, somewhere in Western Europe. It is centered by a table-cut diamond ring, set in a raised cusped quatrefoil bezel. The table-cut measures circa 4.5 x 3.6 mm and has an estimated weight of 0.36 carats.
The 'petals' of the quatrefoil setting have been subdivided into arches, which are decorated with a dotted pattern. The back of the setting is shaped like a cruciform.
The quatrefoil shape itself derives from rings from the Middle Ages, which had bezels with cusped sides, that slowly transformed into a more decorative four-petalled flower shape. This design was very popular in the 16th Century, and the details of the decorations help us determine its age more precisely. Earlier rings of this type have plain arches, but the decorative details on the 'petals' of this quatrefoil, point to it being made after 1540.
The table-cut is one of the earliest ways invented to facet a diamond. The flat top -which resembles a table and gives the shape its name - and angled corners of this facetting shape follows the natural shape of a diamond crystal closely. When other styles such as the rose-cut and brilliant-cut were developed in the 16th Century, table-cuts became obsolete. It is therefore quite rare to find a cluster ring in which all diamonds are faceted as table-cuts.
A similar ring can be found in the book: Diamonds, The Collection of Benjamin Zucker, by Diana Scarisbrick, New York, 2019, page 134.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Size: wears as a US 6.5, UK N, circumference 53 mm.
I would advise against sizing this ring.
Weight: 2.37 grams.
Age: Second half of the 16th Century, 1550 - 1600.
Material: Acid tested as being at least 20k gold.
Condition: This ring is in antique condition, with wear consistent with its age. The table-cut diamond displays a fracture in its top right corner, which can be seen in the pictures. This fissure is however not through and through, so the diamond is still in one piece, and it is sitting securely in its setting. The shank is not a perfect round anymore. Since gold is a soft material, it could easily be rounded if desired, but I have decided to leave it in its original condition for now.
Please note that this store is based in the EU. Although antiques are exempt from taxes in most countries, buyers from outside the EU might be subject to import duties.