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Papillon

Ring
2014 (made)
Artist/Maker

This butterfly ring, from Beyoncé's personal collection, is by the London jeweller G (Glenn Spiro). A superb example of naturalism in contemporary fine jewellery, its shimmering wings are encrusted with vivid green tsavorites and edged with diamonds. The delicacy of the titanium setting is glimpsed in flashes of blue between the gemstones. An ingenious diamond-set band extends above the knuckle and connects to hinges that allow the wings to flutter – an apparently magical movement controlled by the gentle flexing of the wearer’s ring finger.

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watch 'Papillon' ring by G (Glenn Spiro) This exquisite 'papillon' ring was designed in 2014 by London-based master jeweller G (Glenn Spiro) for Beyoncé Knowles-Carter.

Object details

Categories
Object type
TitlePapillon (named collection)
Materials and techniques
Tsavorites and diamonds set in titanium and white gold
Brief description
Articulated ring in the form of a butterfly, tsavorites and diamonds set in titanium and white gold, by G (Glenn Spiro), 2014
Physical description
A pair of blue titanium wings, each in two sections, set with tsavorites and diamonds. The wings are joined by a hinge underneath the insect's diamond-set, white gold body. The band is an intricate, curving, hinged structure of white gold set with diamonds, which enables the wings to move as the wearer's finger bends.
Dimensions
  • Wing height: 48mm
  • Wings width: 68mm
  • Band and butterfly with wings flat depth: 26mm
  • Band and butterfly with wings raised depth: 52mm
Marks and inscriptions
(PL in a star / G in a circle / Au 750 / Titane)
Credit line
Given by the Knowles-Carter family
Summary
This butterfly ring, from Beyoncé's personal collection, is by the London jeweller G (Glenn Spiro). A superb example of naturalism in contemporary fine jewellery, its shimmering wings are encrusted with vivid green tsavorites and edged with diamonds. The delicacy of the titanium setting is glimpsed in flashes of blue between the gemstones. An ingenious diamond-set band extends above the knuckle and connects to hinges that allow the wings to flutter – an apparently magical movement controlled by the gentle flexing of the wearer’s ring finger.
Collection
Accession number
M.1-2018

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Record createdJanuary 11, 2018
Record URL
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