DATE: Georgian, c.1820

A Gift from a Friend... This elegant single-stone ring dates from the late Georgian period, circa 1820. It features a lavender coloured paste gemstone set over foil to enhance the colour and brightness, and deeply chased shoulders adorned with roses and poppies. The back of the head is engraved with the words: "A Gift from a Friend". Crafted in 15k gold throughout.

Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries paste gems could command as much (if not more) than natural gemstones, on account of the technology being so new and that the stones could be the "ideal" colour and completely clear and free from inclusions. The medium is usually a highly polished leaded glass, with minute amounts of certain metal oxides added to give colour – the technique was perfected by Georges Frédéric Strass in 1724.

STONES 

Paste Gemstone

MEASUREMENTS 

Head: 12.6 x 11.3mm

Width of band: 3.2mm

WEIGHT 

6.0g

MARKS 

No marks present, tests as 15k gold

CONDITION 

Good, some light wear to the paste and general wear/patina to the gold band