Dear Rose, With Love

Antique 1835 Georgian 22ct Yellow Gold Heart and Pearl Sweetheart Band Ring / Size P 1/2 or 8.25

Name: Antique 1835 Georgian 22ct Yellow Gold Heart and Pearl Sweetheart Band Ring / Size P 1/2 or 8.25
Brand: Dear Rose, With Love
Price: 995.0 GBP
Availability: InStock

£995.00 GBP

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A beautiful and very rare antique Georgian heart ring, crafted from rich 22ct yellow gold and set with a small white pearl at its centre. The heart is simple and softly rounded, with the pearl nestled into a hand cut star setting whose fine rays spread out across the gold. There is something particularly lovely about the contrast between such a delicate little pearl and the deep, buttery colour of the high carat antique gold. The simplicity of the design gives the ring a wonderfully intimate feel. Nearly two centuries old, it is an exceptionally pretty piece of early sentimental jewellery, a true little rarity that has survived time.

The ring carries a fascinating set of early British hallmarks. It was assayed at Birmingham in 1835, during the reign of King William IV and in the closing years of the Georgian era. Birmingham had only been authorised to assay gold in 1824, making this a relatively early example of Birmingham hallmarked gold jewellery. Alongside the Birmingham anchor is the distinctive Gothic date letter ‘M’ for 1835, together with the profile of William IV. This tiny portrait is known as the duty mark and was applied to gold and silver to show that the required tax had been paid.

Perhaps the most interesting mark is the lion passant. To modern eyes this would usually suggest sterling silver, but the hallmarking system was quite different when this ring was made. Before 1844, 22ct gold did not carry the familiar crown and ‘22’ marks seen on later Victorian jewellery; the traditional 22ct gold standard could instead be struck with the lion passant, the same standard mark also found on sterling silver. It was not until 1844 that 22ct gold was given its own crown and numerical 22 mark. The exceptionally high gold content of this ring is also supported by acid testing, with the metal remaining unchanged under 18 - 24ct testing acid.

These beautiful surviving hallmarks establish a wonderfully precise history: this little ring passed through the Birmingham Assay Office in 1835, during William IV's short reign, and has survived for around 190 years since.

Heart jewellery has a particularly lovely place within the history of Georgian sentimental jewellery. For centuries, rings had been exchanged as intimate tokens of love, constancy and remembrance, perhaps most famously in the form of posy rings, whose private messages were engraved inside the band. By the early nineteenth century these sentiments were increasingly expressed through the jewellery itself, with hearts, pearls, flowers and other symbolic details carrying their own quiet meanings. Made in 1835, this little ring belongs to that early tradition of sentimental jewellery, before such pieces became enormously fashionable during the Victorian era.

We cannot know the story behind this particular ring or who it was originally intended for, but its symbolism would have been immediately familiar. The heart has long represented love and affection, while pearls were closely associated with purity and sincerity. There is something especially touching about its scale: a tiny pearl set into a little heart of rich 22ct gold, made to be worn close and kept for a lifetime. Almost two centuries later, both the ring and the sentiment behind its design have survived.

A wonderfully special survivor from the 1830s, with all the warmth and character that comes from almost two centuries of history. The tiny pearl, starburst detail and unusually rich 22ct gold make it beautiful in its own right, while its wonderfully preserved early hallmarks give us a rare glimpse into exactly when and where it began its life.

SPECIFICS:
Size: UK P 1/2/ US 8.25 (a medium finger size)
Hallmarks: Lion Passant, Birmingham Anchor, Date letter 'M' for 1835, and duty mark. Makers mark which could be 'WH' or WK'.
Weight: 1.7 grams
Face: The heart measures 9 x 8mms
Gemstones: The pearl is 3.25 mms

In very good antique condition with just minimal signs of light wear and tarnish. This ring has been professionally cleaned and polished, it's ready to wear or to give as a gift. Please see the photos.

This item, along with the others in our Dear Rose, With Love shop, has been hand selected by us, for you. We sell only estate, vintage, and antique items - which means we only ever have one of each piece. The pieces of jewellery offered by us are old treasures, and we rarely find two identical. Once each piece has gone, it's truly gone, and you will likely never find another!

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EXTRA INFORMATION

* All gemstones have been tested and verified using a Presidium Gemstone Tester. All measurements and carat weights given are approximations.

* Our photographs have been taken with a magnified macro lens to show you every tiny detail. This often means that any flaws or damage which you can see on the item in the photos, will not appear as visible in person when viewed normally with the eye. This can also mean that the item can appear larger on the screen than it is in person, so please be sure to read our written description to clarify all sizes and dimensions.

* All of the boxes shown in our photos are for display only, and are not included in the sale. However, please rest assured that we do package your item lovingly, with new attractive packaging. All rings priced over £50 do come with a complimentary ring box (which differs from the one pictured). Your jewellery will always be sent well wrapped, secure and protected from damage

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RING SIZING

We offer in-house ring re-sizing. Please contact us if the ring you like is not in your size, we will advise on if it can be sized and will give you a no obligation quote. Some styles (such as full eternity bands) cannot be sized at all, and some rings may only be sized within reason. We are always happy to give honest advice and guidance.

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SHIPPING:

We provide free basic shipping with all orders, worldwide.

UK Orders:
Items under £200 are posted via Royal Mail Tracked 48
Items over £200 are posted via Royal Mail Special Delivery

International orders:
Items under £200 are shipped via Royal Mail International Standard (no tracking, but tracking can be added for a £5 upgrade at checkout if needed)
Items over £200 are shipped via Royal Mail Tracked

Delivery time will vary dependant on your location and the estimations given by Etsy are a rough guide but not guaranteed.

Please note that we do not provide parcel contents insurance with our free standard shipping. Etsy Buyer Protection offers insurance for all parcels upto the value of £200/$250, this is free and included as standard with all Etsy orders.
If you would like to purchase insurance for higher value orders, or if you would like expedited shipping - please message us for a quote, as we happily provide quotes for UPS and DHL delivery on request.
In the event that a parcel goes missing in the post, we cannot be held liable or claim for compensation unless insurance has been chosen.

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RETURNS POLICY:

• We must be informed of the intent to return within 3 days of the item arriving, the item must be shipped back within 7 days of it arriving
• Returned items must be in original unaltered condition, must have all original packaging, and be sent back with full insurance. If returned with inadequate or missing packaging, additional charges will occur.
• Original shipping costs are non-refundable (postage costs will be deducted from the refund of any free delivery orders)
• For returns outside of the UK, a 10% restocking fee is charged.
• In instances where a client declines to pay an import charge, the restocking fee is 20%

NON-RETURNABLE ITEMS:
Pierced earrings cannot be returned under UK hygeine legislation.
Customised items (including resized rings)
Sale/clearance items, are considered a final sale and non-returnable.

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Please note that all items in our Clearance Sale are considered final sale and, as such, are non-returnable.