An Edwardian 18ct yellow gold five-stone ring, c.1900, set with five old-cut diamonds in a half-hoop setting, totalling an estimated 0.85 carats at H/I colour and SI2 clarity. The five-stone ring is one of the most enduring formats in engagement jewellery, the five stones traditionally understood to represent the five stages of a relationship — a symbolism that made it a popular choice for both engagement and anniversary rings throughout the Victorian and Edwardian periods and that continues to give the format a particular resonance today.

The old-cut diamonds — stones cut before the development of the modern brilliant cut, with a rounder outline, a smaller table, and a deeper pavilion — produce a warmer, softer quality of light than a contemporary stone, the larger facets catching the light in broader flashes rather than the continuous sparkle of a modern brilliant. At c.1900 these stones are entirely period-appropriate, and their character is very much part of the appeal of the ring. The half-hoop setting, in which the stones are set across the upper half of the band, is the classic Edwardian format for a five-stone ring. Hallmarked 18ct gold.

Ring size N½ (UK); weight 5.7g.

The Details

• Circa: 1900
• Weight: 5.7g
• Estimated total diamond weight: 0.85 carats (five old-cut stones, H/I SI2)
• Ring size: N½ (UK)
• Hallmarks: 18ct gold
• Setting: Half-hoop