Vicmart

Art Deco Platinum Ruby and Diamond ring, CARTIER, Paris, circa 1925. Property of a well known lady. An extraordinary Art Deco geometrical design platinum ring by Cartier crafted in a cascading stairway like setting. The ring is covered by a total number of 68 round brilliant, baguette and fancy shaped diamonds with total estimated weight of about 5 carats and center topped with a fine natural and unheated eye-clean ‘pigeon blood’ colored Mogok mine Burma ruby / Burmese ruby of a mixed marquise / hexagonal shape cut and approximate weight of about 2 carats. The type of diamonds set throughout the ring, are as follows: -28 round brilliant cut diamonds pave set on both sides of the ring, having various diameters ranging from 2mm to nearly 4mm sizes and estimated subtotal weight of about 1.4 carats, - 6 fancy square-pyramid shape cut diamonds in bezel setting and 2.5mm x 2.5mm size, with estimated subtotal weight of 0.60 carats, - 26 baguette diamonds in channel setting along the sides of the ring, having various lengths ranging from 2mm to 3mm and widths of nearly 1.5mm sizes and estimated subtotal weight of about 0.62 carats, - 2 extra long baguette diamonds again channel set on both sides with 6mm x 1.5mm sizes and estimated subtotal weight of 0.30 carats, - 2 fancy epaulette shape or bullet shape step cut diamonds bezel set on both sides with estimated subtotal weight of about 0.24 carats, - 4 larger hexagonal shaped step-cut diamonds set into large 2 claws settings, two of them 7mm x 4mm in size and the other pair of diamonds 6mm x 3mm and weighing a subtotal of 1.8 carats. The ring is signed Cartier and has a faint scratched custom order or inventory number that reads R3492 at its inner side towards the base, as well as a faint scratched signature that looks like a hand signature of 3 letters or initials, which could be “LAC” or “LEC”, or a similar abbreviation. Could be for Louis Cartier or other designer and master goldsmith. The Cartier mark is rather worn off and obscure, but the first letter “C” and part of the “t” are very clear and undoubtfully were part of the Cartier signature mark. On the other side of the inner circle it appears there had been also some letters, but those are nearly completely worn off, but most likely used to read “Paris”. The inner circle of the ring is slightly oval shaped with dimensions of 18mm x 17mm and the outer diameter of the ring is 22mm and 8mm wide at its widest point. The net weight of the ring is 9.5 grams. The ring is likely to be a 1925 piece and part of Cartier’s best performances while exhibiting at the Paris Art Deco Exposition or a special custom order before or right after the time of this famous EXPO. Art Deco derived its name from the World's fair held in Paris in 1925, formally titled the Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes, which showcased French luxury goods and reassured the world that Paris remained the international center of style after WWI. Art Deco did not originate with the Exposition; it was a major style in Europe from the early 1920s, though it did not catch on in the U.S. until about 1928, when it quickly modulated into the Streamline Moderne during the 1930s, the decade with which Americanized Art Deco is most strongly associated today. Paris remained the center of the high end of Art Deco design, epitomized in furniture by Jacques-Emile Ruhlmann, the best-known of Art Deco furniture designers and perhaps the last of the traditional Parisian ébénistes, and Jean-Jacques Rateau, the firm of Süe et Mare, the screens of Eileen Gray, wrought iron of Edgar Brandt, metalwork and lacquer of Swiss-Jewish Jean Dunand, the glass of René Lalique and Maurice Marinot, clocks and jewelry by Cartier. Art Deco was an innovative design style popular in the 1920s and 1930s. Its sleek, streamlined forms conveyed elegance and sophistication. It was the age of the Flapper, the Jazz and the Machine Age. Materials used ranged from rubies, gold, and pearls to plastic, chrome and steel. Platinum was the new luxury metal used with opaque stones like coral, jade, onyx and lapis lazuli. Costume jewelry became even more popular and outrageous. Trend-setting couturiers were Coco Chanel and Elsa Schiaparelli. Influences were Pharaonic Egypt, the Orient, tribal Africa, Cubism, Futurism, machines and graphic design. However, jewelry of the 1920's and 30's was in thrall to geometry: circles, arcs, squares, rectangles and triangles and so on. René Lalique, who created glass jewelry in the 1920's and 30's, created romantic designs from nature. The Cartier firm, founded in 1847, reached dizzying heights of Art Deco splendor under the direction of Louis Cartier (1874 - 1945). His fascination with exotic motifs led to the creation of diamond, ruby and platinum jewels of unsurpassed design and quality. The present piece of vintage jewelry is LIFETIME GUARANTEED AUTHENTIC Cartier Art Deco platinum, ruby and diamond ring and comes with hardcopy signed and sealed COA. Undoubtfully important Cartier Art Deco platinum ring with similar pieces seldomly seen offered for sale at auctions. Similar by design Cartier and 1925 period Art Deco brooches and pendants that can be used as reference were sold at 2004 Sotheby’s and Christie’s auctions, as well as couple of other brooches at the “Exceptional Jewelry from the Estate of Francoise Hermann” auction sale held by Bonhams & Butterfields – April 27, 2004.