Bonhams Islamic and Indian Art sale to bring alive the emerald charm with an emerald-set gold ring

Made in India in the early 20th century is an emerald-set gold ring which will be part of the offerings on October 7th in Bonhams Islamic and Indian Art sale. The piece features a large central stone of 8.2 carats, framed by a ring of tiny seed pearls and an outer border of eight individually-set cabochon emeralds and carries an estimate of £120,000-180,000.

With the discovery of Colombian emeralds discovered by the Spanish in the first half of the 16th Century, and the increase in their availability, the Mughal emperors began to acquire great quantities of the gem. Large gems were initially reserved for the emperor alone, but as Mughal power waned, other princes acquired spectacular emeralds of their own, particularly the Sikh ruler Ranjit Singh (1780-1839). The emerald remained very fashionable, and by the early 20th Century, Indian princes were having their gems re-set in contemporary styles by European jewellers.

The Colombian emeralds in this ring are most likely gems from an earlier piece, which have been re-set in a carved gold mount to suit 20th Century taste. The octagonal cut of the central emerald is unusual, as emeralds grow as a hexagonal crystal, and it would have been much simpler to fashion the gem as a hexagon rather than an octagon. The emeralds would have been in the possession of a princely treasury, and taken out for use when the occasion demanded.