Eternity rings from the 1840s are hard to find. Diamond ones are the most prized, but these aren't diamonds. Were you fooled? That was the idea in the early Victorian era, too. Paste gems - a type of hand-cut leaded glass - was the best imitation gem technology at the time. The silver foil on the backs along with the black dots painted underneath the stones helped mimic the cut and sparkle of real diamonds. This ring would have fooled most people who saw it. Made with silver collet settings just the same as diamonds would have been treated, and a gold wash to protect the skin from tarnish.
MATERIALS: silver with gold washed interior, 2.2mm pastes
AGE: c. 1840
CONDITION: Good - one paste is a replacement; most stones have rubbing along the crown facets and tables
SIZE: 8.5, cannot be resized; 3.5mm width