1930s British 18K Gold & Natural Red Spinel Ring

1930s British 18K Gold & Natural Red Spinel Ring
Photo Credit: CJ-Antiques-Ltd

1930s British 18K Gold & Natural Red Spinel Ring

Buy It Now Price: $495 (price as of 2018; item no longer available)

Pros:

-This natural, cherry-red spinel ring is surrounded by a halo of 14 single-cut diamonds that sit in a solid 18 karat gold Art Deco setting from the 1930s.

-This red spinel ring weighs 3.5 grams, which is fairly substantial.  After deducting the weight of the stones, we can infer that there is about $95 worth of gold in the ring (with the spot price of gold hovering around $1,200 an ounce).

Spinel is a gorgeous, but poorly understood gemstone that is tremendously undervalued in today’s gem marketplace.  Spinel is a close cousin to ruby and sapphire, sharing a very similar chemical composition and physical properties with these better-known gems.

18 karat gold is a superlative jewelry metal.  It preserves the rich yellow hue and superior chemical resistance of pure gold, while also possessing a degree of added strength and hardness that makes it perfect for use in jewelry.

-I estimate that the natural red spinel set in this ring is at least 1 carat in weight – and perhaps as much as 1.25 carats – making it a substantial stone.  Its color and clarity are both very good as well.  In my opinion, this red spinel is worth at least $100 to $200 per carat (and possibly more).

-I conservatively estimate the intrinsic value of this British red spinel ring at around $250 ($150 for the spinel, $95 for the gold and $5 for the melee diamonds).  This is actually a very good result – fully half of the purchase price is attributable to tangible materials.  It also means that you are only paying around $245 for the expert craftsmanship, transcendent beauty and vivid history captured in this remarkable piece of vintage jewelry.

-The 1930s Art Deco aesthetic of this natural red spinel ring gives it a classic, timeless look that would complement a woman wearing nearly any style of clothing.  I think it is safe to say that this ring will never go out of fashion.

-It is gratifying to be able to find a beautiful piece of antique jewelry that is set with a large precious stone selling for such a reasonable price.  I’ve written before about how difficult it has become to find fine vintage jewelry for less than $1,000.  But I am under no illusions that bargains like this will persist forever; affordable fine vintage jewelry is going extinct.

-With a buy-it-now price of only $495, this vintage red spinel ring is laughably cheap.  In fact, I am absolutely shocked that no one has picked up this steal yet!  The fact that it is still sitting with a “for sale” sign on it is probably at least partially attributable to the fact that spinel has such little name recognition.

 

Cons:

-I’ve got nothing bad to say here.  Nada, zip, zero.  This natural red spinel ring is a gorgeous all-original piece from the 1930s – over 80 years ago.  In addition, it is in great condition, with no evidence of any repairs whatsoever.  This ring is a no-brainer investment for less than $500.

 

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