Telling Tales - again......

Once again, researching an item as simple as a napkin ring has highlighted how often antique items have tales to tell.

SKU: W2558

An Interesting and Collectable Antique George V English Sterling Silver Napkin Ring

A recent addition to the AC Silver inventory is an individual 1930's boxed napkin ring embellished with an enamel pennant and an inscription (see images).

To cut a long story short, Mudhook Yacht Club still exists on the north shore of the Firth of Clyde, and is one of the oldest yacht clubs in Great Britain. It's a fairly select yacht club, permitting only forty members.

'Mudhook' is sailor's slan for an anchor, as seen on the pennant - I wonder if it was a considered decision to have the napkin ring assayed in Birmingham........with the anchor as the recognised assay office hallmark!!!

http://www.acsilver.co.uk/shop/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=1630&idcategory=58

June - a PEARL of a birthstone

'By her who in June was born
No gem save Pearls shall be worn
They will ensure her constancy
True friendship and fidelity'.


SKU: W1809
A Fine Victorian Pearl and Diamond Necklace

Pearls are formed in live seawater oysters or freshwater mussels.

When a foreign object (bone, shell or coral for example) becomes lodged within the shell the oyster/mussel coats the irritant with a substance called nacre (crystals of calcium carbonate).
The nacre reflects and refracts light, producing the unique rainbow-like sheen.

Individual pearls differ in colour depending on mollusc type, and local influences such as water temperature, pollutants and diet, and it takes an expert eye and patience to carefully 'match' pearls when setting in an item of jewellery.



Pearls come in a variety of shades and tones

http://www.acsilver.co.uk/shop/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=889&idcategory=0

May Birthstone - Emerald

W2102 Art Deco Platinum, Columbian Emerald and Diamond Ring

W1995 Contemporary Emerald and Diamond Bracelet

Emeralds have a most intense, radiant colour green. They are the most valuable of all the coloured gemstones.

The name emerald comes from the Greek 'smaragdos' and the French 'essmeralde', meaning literally green gemstone.

Emeralds from Zimbabwe are some of the oldest gemstones in the world, being created over 2500 million years ago. However emeralds are also found in such diverse countries as Columbia, Brazil, Zambia, Pakistan and Russia.

W2323

1.72ct Emerald Cut Diamond and Emerald Dress Ring

http://www.acsilver.co.uk/shop/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=1168&idcategory=0

Record Price For Blue Diamond!

On 12 May 2009 the rare blue Cullinan mine diamond was sold at Sotherby's Auction in Geneva for £6.2 million ($9.5m), to an anonymous buyer.

WOW!

How long can anyone wearing a £6.2m diamond ring remain anonymous/inconspicuous?? Alas, methinks the ring will never be won in public, if ever worn at all - that has to be a travesty.

SIGH!!

Rare Blue Diamond on Display - not at ACSilver unfortunately

Wow! Some diamond or what!?

On 27 April 2009 Sotherby's, London displayed the cushion cut 7.03ct blue diamond worth between an estimated 4 and six million pounds (GBP).

This gem of a gem, which was discovered last year in South Africa in the most famous mine in the world, the Cullinan Mine, will be auctioned in Geneva in May 2009 (watch this blog...).

The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) has graded the diamond as flawless in clarity - the highest ranking a diamond can achieve, and blue in colour - an exceptionally rare colour.

We wait to see who will purchase this stone, but the lucky, (or just plain rich), buyer has the added priviledge of naming the diamond.
Who do you know, who's rich, famous and has an April birthday? Now that would be some present eh??



http://www.acsilver.co.uk/shop/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=1448&idcategory=88

April - the Ultimate Birthstone - DIAMOND!!

The diamond is recognised as the birthstone for April.

The ancient Greeks believed that the fire of a diamond reflected the flame of everlasting love.

Ancient Hindus called the diamond 'Vaira', which means lightening. The name representing two qualities of extreme strength and amazing light reflection.

A Fine Art Deco 1.25 Carat Princess Cut and Baguette Cut Diamond Dress Ring

SKU W2387

It may surprise you to know that diamonds come in several different colours, the commonest is yellow, followed by colourless. Other colours are blue, black, pink, green and gray.

The Golden Jubilee (originally known as the Unknown Brown) is the largeset faceted diamond in the world, weighing 545.67 carats. It was presented to the King of Thailand, King Bhumibol Adulyadej in 1997 for the 50th anniversary of his coronation.

An 18 carat Yellow Gold, Modern Brilliant Cut Diamond Solitaire Ring

SKU W1386

http://www.acsilver.co.uk/shop/pc/showSearchResults.asp?VA=0&SearchValues=&exact=0&iPageSize=10&iPageCurrent=1&pageStyle=h&keyword=diamond&priceFrom=0&priceUntil=9999999&idCategory=0&IdSupplier=0&withStock=&IDBrand=0&SKU=&order=5

March Birthstone - Bloodstone (or aquamarine??)

To my dismay, I could find no 'bloodstone' items in the AC Silver stock to use for illustration purposes.
On further investigation however, I was very relieved to find a get out cause when I discovered that in 1912, in an effort to standardise birthstones, the American national association of jewelers, Jewelers of America, created a recognised 'Modern List' of stones. This list has become the most widely used list in the United States, Australia and Thailand.

The March birthstone identified in this list is aquamarine! Ah ha - I'm off the hook!!

SKU W1940

An Antique Austrian, Signed, Silver and Enamel Nude Cigarette Case circa 1900

Hey - who said all my illustrations had to be jewellery? - this cigarette case is fitted with an aquamarine catch. Good eh?

http://www.acsilver.co.uk/shop/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=1011&idcategory=0