Hancocks
22ct Yellow Gold Burma Ruby and Burma Sapphire Double Gypsy Set Ring
A 22ct yellow gold, ruby and sapphire double gypsy set ring by Hancocks. The two oval cut gems are set one on top of the other, the Burmese 'Pigeon's Blood' ruby weighing 0.75ct and the Burmese 'Royal Blue' sapphire weighing 0.88ct, gypsy set flush into a 22ct yellow gold tapering band with a fine satin finish.
£35,000.00
Information
Maker
Hancocks
Origin
London
Period
Contemporary
Gemstone
0.88ct 'Royal Blue' oval Burma sapphire, no heat - with certificate
0.75ct 'Pigeon's Blood' oval Burma ruby, no heat - with certificate
Setting
22ct yellow gold with maker's mark and London assay marks
Dimensions
UK finger size R, US finger size 8.5
Head: 10.97mm
Band: 4.89mm (centre back)
Weight Description
18.4 grams
REF
128230
Director’s Notes
Historically, the term ‘pigeon’s blood’ has been used to describe the most beautiful and coveted colour for rubies, allegedly due to its similarity in colour to the blood of a pigeon. Opinions differ as to the exact origin of the term with some saying it came from the Burmese, others that it was first used by the Chinese who had previously owned the area where the Burmese ruby mines were discovered and yet others sighting it as having Hindustani origins where lapidaries compared the colour to the blood red of a pigeon’s eye. Whatever the truth, one thing everyone agreed on is that only rubies of the finest vivid red colour with deep saturation and which showed a soft red fluorescence in daylight were referred to this way. Today rubies from both Burma and Mozambique can show this coveted colour and be certified as such. Whilst rubies from Burma are justifiably revered around the world, their sibling sapphires were, for many years, somewhat overlooked. The Victorian London jeweller Edwin Streeter described them as being overly dark and, despite this not being the case, his opinion was repeated by others and seemed to stick. It took decades to reverse this but today Burmese sapphires are recognised for the wonderful gems they are, indeed many view them as surpassed only by sapphires from Kashmir. Burmese sapphires are found predominantly in alluvial deposits in the Mogok area in close proximity to rubies. Whilst rubies account for the majority of the gem output, sapphires forming only 10-20%, it is the sapphires that occur in larger sizes with rough weighing 40/50/60/cts not uncommon. Burma is also now known for producing excellent star sapphires, these rare gems appear to have a bright six rayed star floating just under the surface and are very beautiful. The best Burmese sapphires, like this one here, possess a rich, desirable intense blue with excellent saturation however they also occur in lighter shades as well as in purple, yellow and green.
