Mid Victorian 15k 0.12 CTW Rose Cut Diamond Maltese Cross Ring with London Assay Mark

ST653

Mid Victorian 15k 0.12 CTW Rose Cut Diamond Maltese Cross Ring with London Assay Mark

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  • Unique find! Only 1 available.

  • Shopping pre-owned is choosing sustainable luxury
  • One-of-a-kind item exclusively curated for you
  • Ships with full insurance + signature confirmation

General Information:

  • US Size: 7.00
  • Total Carat Weight: 0.12 ctw
  • Total Precious Metal Weight: 1.54 dwt 
  • Precious Metal Material:  15k yellow gold
  • Dimensions: This ring faces up 7.10 mm north to south (width) and tapers to about 2.38 mm at the base of the shank.
  • Weight: A very nice 2.39 grams
  • Markings: The exterior of the ring is stamped with a "15" cartouche to immediate right of cross face, while the interior is stamped with a series of five additional marks: a horizontally-oriented "15" cartouche, a ".625" cartouche, the date letter "s" in gothic script indicating the year 1873, a leopard head cartouche indicating the London assay office, and a "JL" maker's mark cartouche. The "JL" maker is not identified.
  • Era: Per the ring's stamps, it dates to the Mid Victorian year of 1873.

Specifications:

  • Center Stone Type: Diamond
  • Center Stone Count: Five (5)
  • Center Stone Carat Weight: 0.12 ctw;  3 diamonds are approximately 0.02 ct each and 2 diamonds are approximately 0.03 ct each.
  • Center Stone Dimensions:  2 diamonds measure approximately 1.30 mm, 2 diamonds measure approximately 1.60 mm and 1 diamond measures approximately 1.65 x 1.79 mm.
  • Center Stone Shape: Antique Rose Cut
  • Center Stone Color: Estimate I-J
  • Center Stone Clarity: Estimated SI1-SI2
  • Center Stone Notes: Some chips and age-related wear present as pictured.

The Story:

Imbued with the allure of rarity and the magic of time, this incredibly scarce jewel exists as a relic of another era. Its face is embellished with a diamond-studded cross, the cuts of which are charmingly irregular and set with aesthetic symmetry.

Being that the piece is closed back, no light passes into and through the diamonds to refract light. Instead, these diamonds are all foiled on their reverse. Both the use of rose cuts and the employment of foiling were techniques designed specifically to catch the twinkle of candlelight resulting in an ultra romantic, flickering sparkle.

The cross’ shape is intriguing, as it is nearly equal-sided, denoting it as something between a Maltese cross and a Formée cross/Croix Pattée. Its form could be identified, therefore, as a derivative of Myrhorod/Cossack cross, which is known by its triangular shaped arms that do not quite flare at their ends to ‘fill’ out the square silhouette. Such shaped crosses are found in relation to countries in and around central to the westernmost portion of eastern Europe, specifically Germany, Sweden, Poland, Austria, Ukraine down to Montenegro and the Balkans, and more specifically Belgium and the Netherlands.

The cross titles named here each have a multitude of meanings depending on the organization, culture, history and context that heralds these forms. Generally, each arm of the cross alludes to the virtues of wisdom, dignity, integrity and perseverance. The Formée cross/Croix Pattée can be traced back to the 1400s, and the Myrhorod/Cossack cross has roots in the 1500s, and both have widely been used in coats of arms to speak to loyalty, bravery and duty. Thus, the design has long been lent as a signifier of services such as military, emergency and hospital and even philanthropic clubs. Of course, the fundamental meaning of the cross is based in the sacrifice of Grace incarnate that built a bridge to the Perfector of faith and Healer of hearts.

A note about foiled diamonds: The diamond is closed back and appears to be foiled. Foiling was a clever trick of the trade in which slips of foil were carefully placed in the cupped setting beneath the semi-translucent gemstones of choice, achieving a stunning glimmer in low candlelight which reflected the fire flames in dazzling brilliance. The effect of foil backing is characteristic of Georgian and early to mid Victorian jewelry, as it created a hypnotic twinkle under historic candlelit lighting conditions, prior to the invention of electricity.

One must keep in mind that the original owner for whom this cross was originally crafted did not occupy the kind of lifestyle or perform the same tasks we do today. This being the case, this foiled diamond relic was simply never intended or designed to withstand today's living. So, while this foiled jewelry is especially alluring attribute for collectors, they are quite vulnerable to water damage if even slightly wet. Water causes foil to discolor and darken, to somewhat dissolve, and it can get trapped between the stone and the setting. Thus, to prolong the life of secondhand jewelry, it should not be worn during physical activities and buyers should be mindful of condition notes and any presence of treatment-specific care.

By placing an order, you accept and agree to uphold all of Revival Fine Jewelry's terms, conditions and policies.

General Information: All additional jewelry boxes, ring boxes, and other jewelry items pictured alongside a featured listing are considered props, are for photographic and display purposes only and are not included in the transaction unless otherwise noted. Items do not come with physical documentation, appraisals, or certifications, unless explicitly stated in the item description and/or title. While jewelry is inspected upon procurement by the shop as well as prior to shipment, Revival Fine Jewelry cannot guarantee a warranty once items leave our inventory, given the delicate and individual nature of secondhand articles and the unaccountability of buyer handling post-purchase.

Shipping: All orders are carefully packed within a branded Revival Fine Jewelry gift box, secured with recycled materials when possible, and shipped within a discreet outer shipping parcel. All orders ship with tracking, insurance and signature confirmation. Shipping options are presented at checkout. Per law and inegrity, international orders are always marked as commodity imports and customers are responsible for any and all customs expenses, VAT taxes and import fees, as well as any clearance costs legally dictated by their respective destination countries. These expenses are not calculated into the pricing structure, and returns based on import costs will not be permitted.

Returns: While Revival Fine Jewelry aims to provide a smooth experience from start to finish, customers are encouraged to reach out regarding any issue or dissatisfaction, so that we may work together toward a resolution. If a return is desired, the shop must be notified of an intention to return within 3 days of confirmed delivery, and item(s) must be shipped back to the shop within 7 days of confirmed delivery. All materials (gift box, inserts, cards) must be returned with the item(s). Returns declared after the 3 day window and/or postmarked after 7 days of receipt will neither be accepted nor refunded. Customers are responsible for generating an insured return shipping label (international customers included) and relaying the tracking information to Revival Fine Jewelry. Returns that do not include full insurance and/or tracking, and are damaged or lost in transit, will not be refunded. If a return is accepted, customers will be refunded less the original cost of shipping, handling and insurance, the expense of any damages incurred, and a 10% restocking fee (of the original purchase price). All sale items, items altered or resized by the buyer post-purchase, and all storage/ boxes are considered final sale and are ineligible for a return or refund.

Sale Terms: Sale prices are only valid within the prescribed sale window, unless otherwise stated by Revival Fine Jewelry or agreed upon between Revival Fine Jewelry and a designated customer. To maintain business sustainability and general fairness, individual customers are not entitled to exclusive notification of, or owed access to, store sales antecedently. Orders processed prior to a promotion or sale, items placed on layaway prior to a sale, and payments paid through layaway prior to a sale will not be retroactively adjusted to reflect sale pricing or terms.

Specially Negotiated Deals: Items purchased at specially negotiated discounts, deals or prices through any platform between Revival Fine Jewelry and a designated customer are considered final sale, including rates arranged and agreed upon via Facebook, Instagram, email or any other method. Closing deals at special rates reflects a desire by both parties to reach an expeditious and absolute sale. The intention of specially negotiated discounts, deals or sale prices through any platform between Revival Fine Jewelry and a designated customer, is to eliminate extra expenses and/or use of time and resources to formally list or re-list items per their specific and inherent value-determining qualities, as well as avoid unseen overhead business costs, stocking obligations, and all other disclosed or undisclosed monetary and nonmonetary expenditures.

Pricing: Revival Fine Jewelry reserves the right to decrease, increase, alter and modify inventory pricing to meet market rarity, demand or value; to offset platform, transaction or seller's fees; to adapt to economic inflation and fluctuation; and to defray specific business expenses. Pricing is the sole discretion of every small business.

Regarding Brooches & Pins: Often significantly and curiously undervalued jewelry items, brooches, pins and stick pins are treasured pieces of history in this shop. Accordingly, their pricing is calculated analogous to other fine jewelry, including their symbolic meaning, rarity and historical prestige. Such pieces are typically converted to other forms of jewelry, and are therefore becoming increasingly rare in their original states. Aside from being perfectly wearable as sophisticated lapel ornaments, brooches and pins of all kinds are prime candidates for many kinds of fine jewelry conversions, including rings, earrings, pendants, and charms, if so desired by the consumer post-purchase. Revival Fine Jewelry does not perform conversion projects for customers.

Regarding Storage & Boxes: All specifications, including but not limited to the measurements, age, origins, and material compositions are supplied in good faith as professional estimations constructed using professional grade tools, years of learned and honed skills, educational resources and academic scholarship, and refined research methods. Regardless of our confidence in our descriptions and the photographs deemed viable extensions of these descriptions, we cannot guarantee the definitiveness, faultlessness, or exactitude beyond our knowledge and expertise. Kindly keep in mind that this and all items are sold as-is vintage, antique and estate secondhand wares, and consequently bear conditional wear in matter and operation commensurate with age and use.

More information on these, and more, topics may be found in the shop policies.

All layaway terms may be found here, and all shop policies may be found here.

Layaway is available for full priced, non-sale items priced $600.00 USD or greater, and items may not be combined to attain price-eligibility. Plans are offered as 3-month/90-day maximum terms.

In exchange for offering interest-free plans, customers agree to abide and uphold the following nonnegotiable terms and conditions:

  • A 30% deposit is due upfront to reserve the item for layaway and pull it from public sale on all of our shopping platforms. Shipping expenses are added to this first payment unless otherwise requested.
  • The remaining 70% balance is divided up into three subsequent monthly payments due on the same day of the following three months. If delinquent, a $20.00 USD late fee is added per day to an overdue payment until paid.
  • In the event that a layaway installment is left unpaid for seven (7) days and no communication is received from the designated customer, the layaway plan will be presumed abandoned. While the item will be returned to public sale, all payments made hitherto are still considered final.

Layaway items are promptly boxed and shipped to the designated customer once the final payment successfully processes. Taxes, import and other legal fees are not calculated into the payments, and are the sole responsibility of the customer, whether a domestic US or international buyer. Revival Fine Jewelry is not responsible for calculating, covering or adding such costs into purchase prices.

All layaway payments as well as all items purchased through layaway plans are considered final sale; neither payments nor items may be refunded, transferred, exchanged or returned. Revival Fine Jewelry does not issue store credit.

Revival Fine Jewelry reserves the right to cancel any layaway plan at any point for any reason if fraudulent activity is suspected. In this event, the designated customer will be notified prior to the intended cancellation of their plan.

Request a layaway plan via email here. Remember to specify your desired item by providing its link, title or SKU/code.