A gold sapphire Omar Ramsden ring

Price range:  £5,000-10,000

For sale  is this exceptional Omar Ramsden gold and sapphire ring.  The ring is fully hallmarked for 9 carat gold, London, 1933. Also marked “OMAR RAMSDEN ME FECIT”.

The sculptural design bridges the arts and crafts, art nouveau and art deco movements. Two angels form the shank of the ring holding aloft the central stone. The ring is cast and definition remains good.  The sapphire stone is an absolutely stunning lively cornflower blue – as good as shown in the images.  Note it is a synthetic sapphire which, in its day, would have been more expensive than a mined sapphire, valued for its greater clarity. Synthetic sapphires are 100 per cent identical in composition to real sapphires but the method of creation can be detected by lab techniques or an expert gemologist.

The ring is size 6.5 (US) or M/N (UK).  Overall condition is excellent.  The bezel is untouched and the overall condition of the angels is excellent.  The stone similarly is in excellent condition with just tiny scratches and chips visible under high magnification.   There is what looks like a casting crack (maybe a repair) to the middle to lower part of one shank (see images).  This is shallow and not visible when worn or without magnification.  At some point the ring has been sympathetically re-sized with an interior band of soldered gold.

Acquired privately the provenance of this ring is to Hancocks, London.

Maker: Omar Ramsden

Designer: Omar Ramsden

Date : 1933

Marks: OR, London date letter “s”. 375, “Omar Ramsden me fecit”

Material: 9 carat gold, synthetic sapphire

Condition: Very good – see description

Size: Ring size 6.5 (US), M/N (UK). Max diameter of mount is 3.2cm

Weight : 12 grams, 0.4 oz