Ever dream about owning a piece of antique jewellery that is centuries old and makes you feel like you’re living your best, luxurious life? Well, we do! Antique jewellery is often unique and one of a kind, because it was made in a time when there were no means to mass-produce. A lot of pieces were handmade by skilled jewelers and because of their great quality, have been preserved until today. Getting your hands on a really old piece, for example from around 1600-1700, can be tricky, since there are not a lot of pieces left. But guess what? We have been lucky to add one of these once in a lifetime finds to our collection! Read our blogpost below to learn all about this unique find and how to get your hands on it.
Hallmarks
The unique piece we’re talking about today is a ring with an incredible age of almost 350 years. This means it’s a 17th century ring! She is made of 22k gold with a pear shape and rose cut garnet. What makes this piece even more rare, is the fact that it has hallmarks. This is very unique, since a lot of old pieces do not have hallmarks. Even a lot of pieces from the 19th century are not hallmarked. So, since this piece is from the 17th century, you can probably already guess how rare this is! This beauty is marked with the year letter ‘R’ for the year 1685, has a town mark for the city Dordrecht, and a maker’s mark for Dirk Brugman.
Meaning and symbolism
This ring is a true late baroque beauty. The baroque period is often seen as a reaction against the more rigid jewellery styles of the preceding renaissance period. Characteristics of the baroque period, which can also be recognized in the jewellery of the era, are the strive for realism, drama, and a suggestion of movement. Another characteristic of this period was the ‘obsession’ with symmetry. Symmetric patterns like the arabesque pattern were frequently used in jewellery styles. Since this ring has a symmetrical heart shape, it fits very well within this trend.
This ring has one big pear-shaped and three smaller garnets surrounded with elegant filigree, which together form a shape that looks like a heart with flames above it. Rings with this shape are often called flamed heart rings. Just like a lot of other shapes in jewellery, the heart shape is packed with symbolism. Jewellery with heart-shaped motifs and designs was first seen at the end of the Middle Ages. A flaming heart symbolises deep, eternal love and devotion, so a ring like this can be the most romantic gift for someone close to you. Moreover, with a gift like this, you can be quite certain that no one else will be wearing the same ring!
Are you just as blown away by this beauty and her unique features as we are? We totally get that! Make sure to be quick if you want her to be yours though, because a piece as unique as this won’t stay for long. She is a true once in a lifetime find and a real investment piece!
“Enjoy dreaming about this beauty or our other unique pieces and don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions!” -xxx- Sophie