this is an absolute treasure, and offers cultural and historical stories in a piece of old, timeless gold. yes, it's a classic victorian era style, and it does indeed date to that era, as evident from the facets on the stone and the worn details of the stone's eye-like setting, but this piece is crafted in a Vedic style, which hints that it was a colonial-inspired design made in India. yowza. art, tradition, history, and spirituality in one.
in the Vedic traditions, a stone must be set so that the culet — the point — extends beyond the bottom of the setting so that the stone can make contact with and rest on the skin's surface. stones in this style don't have the pointiest culet, so that it isn't bothersome to have the culet in contact with the skin. Why? so that you really benefit from the properties of the stone, typically in line with your astrological placements.
while at first glance this stone might appear to be a deep pink sapphire, it's actually a topaz.
solid 18k + deep pink topaz
M E A S U R E M E N T S
measure size 8.75 on a sizing mandrel, but may fit slightly smaller because of the donut-like shape and width and the stone's contact with the finger
topaz stone measures ~3mm across (difficult to accurately measure in its worn, flush setting)
band tapers from ~4.8mm to ~3.4mm wide and is ~1.5mm thick
weighs 4g
C O N D I T I O N
in good antique condition
this is an old band and does have signs of wear, including:
-deep, significant file marks from previous over-zealous acid testing to confirm that this is indeed solid 18k — a jeweler can fill this in for a small fee
-the beaded details of the setting have worn more on one side of the stone than on the other
-the stone has old facets that lack symmetry, but it's original, which is a rare treat
-the flush setting has worn and softened around the stone
-stone is free from notable chips/cracks/scratches , but does show wear commensurate with 100+ years
-uneven patina and scuffing throughout the ring
-the stone intentionally has a point that extends behind the base of the setting
-it is not marked for karat, but this would have been a custom-made ring in India 100+ years ago and it was not uncommon for those rings to be unmarked
this is an antique item and will show surface scratches, dents, dings, dulling, wear, patina, and signs of having been worn and loved
please carefully review all photos as they are considered an important part of the description of the item’s condition
S H O P A G R E E M E N T S
please read the 'shop policies' section to understand this shop's shipping & exchange policies
S K I N S E N S I T I V I T I E S
please read the ‘FAQs’ section before purchasing an item if you have a history of skin sensitivities to metals of any kind, and/or a history of skin reactions like dermatitis or eczema. Send us a message if you have additional questions.
