A stunning French late 19th century hardstone cameo ring, crafted in 18K gold, circa 1880.

This beautiful agate is carved from a single stone with great skill to reveal the figure of a Goddess or muse in neoclassical style. The carver cleverly uses each of the stone’s coloured layers to highlight the foreground and background. The young finure is depicted facing away with a stola draping over the shoulder.

The cameo is bordered by a halo of 32 rose cut diamonds in open-backed settings. The underside of the bezel features a delicate open gallery which takes the form of crescent motifs.

The gold mount is stamped with a French control mark to indicate a gold fineness of 18K. The ring is in very good overall condition despite its significant age. There is evidence of a historic resizing on the band.

UK size M, US size 6.25

The ring weighs 4.5 grams. The cameo measures 20mm x 10mm (bezel is 24mm x 14mm), and each rose cut diamond has a diameter of 1mm.

The Victorian era was a period of great change and innovation in the world of jewellery. Spanning from 1837 to 1901, the era witnessed an explosion of styles from romantic and sentimental to Gothic and grotesque. The use of jet, onyx, and coral in mourning jewellery became popular after the death of Prince Albert in 1861. The discovery of diamond mines in South Africa in 1867 led to an increase in the use of diamonds in jewellery, as well as the popularity of more elaborate gemstone cuts such as the cushion, rose, and old mine cuts.

Victorian jewellery was also notable for its use of complex symbolism, such as snake motifs that represented eternal love or the use of flowers to convey hidden meanings. The jewellery made in this era featured the finest materials and was made by highly skilled craftsmen, making it some of the most desirable antique jewellery for its unique charm and fine quality.

DELIVERY

We are pleased to offer free worldwide shipping on all our orders. We dispatch all items via a secure and trackable delivery service providing full insurance for your item. You will receive a shipping confirmation email after purchase with your tracking number so that you know your order is on its way. We aim to dispatch all items within 1-2 working days after payment has been received.

For UK delivery, we send with Royal Mail Special Delivery, arriving by the next working day. For International orders over £1000 we use DHL Express International, and for orders under £1000 we use Royal Mail International Tracked and Signed. All items are sent fully insured.

You can find more information about our shipping policy here.

RETURNS

We understand that purchasing antique jewellery online can be a daunting task, which is why we offer an easy, no-hassle returns policy. If for any reason you are not completely satisfied with your purchase, simply get in touch within 14 days of receipt for a full refund, no questions asked. We want our customers to feel confident when buying from us, and our returns policy is just one way we ensure this.

Conditions: Buyers are responsible for return shipping costs. All items are to be returned in their original condition and packaging. Buyer damaged items and items bought on layaway are ineligible for returns. Items over £2500 can be returned for store credit only.

You can find more information about our returns policy here.