{"product_id":"georgian-portuguese-foiled-blue-paste-solitaire-ring-c-1760-1780","title":"18th Century Portuguese Paste Ring","description":"\u003cdiv\u003eA superb Georgian era paste solitaire ring, made in Portugal and dating to the late 18th century, circa 1760–1780. The ring is centred with a foiled blue paste stone, cut in a cushion form and set within a raised gold collet. Its colour is an appealing pale aqua-blue, with the reflective foil backing giving the stone a cool, seawater-like luminosity.\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003eIn the 18th century, paste jewellery was worn at the highest levels of society. “Paste” refers to hand-cut and polished lead glass, often foil-backed, created to imitate the colour and brilliance of precious gemstones. Far from being a cheap substitute, the finest paste jewels were technically demanding luxury objects, designed to catch candlelight with exceptional brightness.\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003eThe technique was refined and popularised by Georges Frédéric Strass, the Alsatian-born jeweller appointed to the court of King Louis XV, whose name gave rise to the term \u003cem\u003estrass\u003c\/em\u003e. His jewels entered the world of Versailles, Madame du Barry, aristocratic salons and, later, the jewel-conscious society of the Napoleonic age. At its best, paste was prized for its brilliance, novelty and theatrical effect.\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003eThis Portuguese ring sits firmly within that tradition, with its glowing aqua-blue foiled paste stone set in a raised collet above rococo shoulders. It is a jewel from an age when paste was not an apology for gemstones, but a fashionable material worn by those who understood spectacle, refinement and light.\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003eThe ring is unmarked, as is common for jewellery of this age, but tests as approximately \u003cstrong\u003e15K gold\u003c\/strong\u003e. It weighs \u003cstrong\u003e2.06g\u003c\/strong\u003e and is a \u003cstrong\u003eUK size N½ \/ US 7\u003c\/strong\u003e. The central paste measures approximately \u003cstrong\u003e1cm in diameter\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003eCondition is good for a ring of this age. The paste is secure in its setting, with some light age-related softening to the facet edges. As with all foiled paste jewellery, the ring should be kept away from water and ultrasonic cleaning.\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003eA characterful \u003cstrong\u003eGeorgian Portuguese blue paste solitaire ring\u003c\/strong\u003e, combining Rococo goldwork, 18th-century foiled setting technique and an unusually fresh aqua-blue colour.\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Ravensbury Antiques","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49288369930548,"sku":"1017810340","price":21965.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0708\/6784\/5428\/files\/DSC_2000.jpg?v=1789587608","url":"https:\/\/ravensburyantiques.com\/en-cn\/products\/georgian-portuguese-foiled-blue-paste-solitaire-ring-c-1760-1780","provider":"Ravensbury Antiques","version":"1.0","type":"link"}