Ring
ca. 1810-1820 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This ring is set with a fashionable combination of diamonds, tiny emeralds, pearls and half pearls. Pearls symbolised purity but were also appreciated for their shine and aesthetic qualities.
The development of cultured pearls in Japan by Kokichi Mikimoto in the early twentieth century made pearls suddenly accessible but before that date, the largest and most lustrous pearls were valued as highly as gemstones. Smaller pearls were more readily available, traded from Ceylon and India and, from the 1820s, from the Arabian Gulf.
The development of cultured pearls in Japan by Kokichi Mikimoto in the early twentieth century made pearls suddenly accessible but before that date, the largest and most lustrous pearls were valued as highly as gemstones. Smaller pearls were more readily available, traded from Ceylon and India and, from the 1820s, from the Arabian Gulf.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Gold with brilliant-cut diamond, half pearls and emeralds |
| Brief description | Gold ring set with a brilliant-cut diamond, emeralds, pearls and half pearls. England, about 1810-20. |
| Physical description | Gold ring with a quatrefoil bezel set with a brilliant-cut diamond and half pearls. The forked shoulders set with emeralds and half pearls. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Credit line | Given by Dame Joan Evans |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | This ring is set with a fashionable combination of diamonds, tiny emeralds, pearls and half pearls. Pearls symbolised purity but were also appreciated for their shine and aesthetic qualities. The development of cultured pearls in Japan by Kokichi Mikimoto in the early twentieth century made pearls suddenly accessible but before that date, the largest and most lustrous pearls were valued as highly as gemstones. Smaller pearls were more readily available, traded from Ceylon and India and, from the 1820s, from the Arabian Gulf. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | M.217-1962 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
| Record created | November 7, 2005 |
| Record URL |
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest
