Joden Girl

Baubles, Bling and the Latest Things

One of the biggest misconceptions in antique jewelry sounds something like this…  “I inherited my grandma’s ruby ring.  It must be a real ruby because it’s old.”  For me, this is a very familiar story.  My mother’s first engagement ring was a simple gold ring set with a bright pink ruby.  As the story goes, it belonged to my paternal grandmother.  Even after the divorce, my mother held onto the ring, wholeheartedly believing that it was a genuine ruby.   As such, she was sure that it was valuable, a family heirloom for either my sister or me.  Many years later (after I began working in the jewelry industry), I broke the news that the stone was synthetic.  My mom was shocked.  She didn’t realize that synthetic gemstones had been created in the 19th century.  

This week’s featured piece is a perfect example.  Handmade in the 1880’s, this dainty ring was constructed from a 14-karat yellow gold base topped with a generous layer of silver.  Eighteen single-cut diamonds form a cushion-shaped halo.  Weighing approximately .03 carat each, the total diamond weight is just over half a carat (.54 carat to be exact). These diamonds surround a bezel-set, bold red stone.  Much like many others made during that time, the red stone is a synthetic ruby.  Although the stone is not an earth-mined ruby, it is authentic and original to the piece.  

Synthetic ruby crystals were created in 1837.  By the 1880’s, reconstituted rubies emerged and were called Geneva rubies.  By the turn of the century, synthetic stones were mass-produced and readily available.  Our petite pretty is quite small – measuring at a mere finger size 3 (it can be sized).  Priced at just $1000, it’s available.  Perhaps all of this has left you are wondering what’s better: keeping a piece in original condition with the synthetic stones or replacing those synthetic stones with period-appropriate, genuine gems?  An argument can be made for both options; I think it’s up to the owner.  We’re here for it, either way.  The choice is yours.  

“You can go to a museum and look, or come to us and touch.”

Written by Carrie Martin

Photos by Dana Jerpe