Choose the Sparkle of Diamonds Set A'Jour

Vintage A'Jour with this Antique Old Miner Diamond Solitaire Engagement Ring with Ornate Filigree. Photo ©2014 EraGem. This exquisite antique engagement ring features a 1.04-carat Old Mine Cut diamond set à jour in an elaborate filigree setting of white gold. The French word a'jour means "open to daylight" and describes perfectly its application in antique jewelry. Not to be confused with filigree, which is also a strong characteristic of this ring, à jour refers not to the rich carvings decorating the crown and shoulders of this lovely ring, but to the particular way this diamond has been set. The term is widely applied in writings of the late 1800s and early 1900s, often in regard to rings, but not always to the setting of stones. In his treatise, On Some Finger Rings, of the Early Christian Period (1870s-1890s), Charles Drury E. Fortnum writes of a Roman key-like finger ring which features twelve fluted portions which have "a central square piercing, in which one letter of the inscription is reserved in the metal, and from which the ground is entirely cut away (decoupe-à-jour)" {p. 36}. Clearly he is describing a type of carving and not a stone setting. Writing in 1917, gemstone expert George Frederick Kunz, in his book Rings for the Finger, describes a number of "episcopal rings listed on this inventory were set with sapphires bordered with small gems, one of them having a 'black sapphire' set à jour, and held in place by claws" {p. 274}. One can just picture a cathedral style setting on an elaborate bishop's ring with a large dark stone held in place by four claws, open to the light on all sides. More recently, the term has been applied to carvings discovered in ancient burial mounds in Turkey between 1950 and 1973. In the volume dedicated to the discoveries made in these grave mounds, Rodney S. Young describes an inlaid screen which was framed by "an elaborately carved horizontal panel secured in place by three dowels..." This panel was "carved à jour from a single piece of soft light-colored wood..." {Three Great Early Tumuli, p. 180}. According to Lang's Jewelry Universtiy, the à jour stone setting style was developed in the 18th century, but was not widely adopted for use in rings until the Victorian Era. Prior to this time, gemstones were safely ensconced in closed back settings which covered the entire pavilion. These tight enclosures impinged the movement of light through the diamonds, significantly inhibiting the fire and brilliance of the stones. Notice in this ring that the diamond is completely unencumbered, save for the delicate bezel-type setting which hugs the stone just around its girdle. Thanks to this marvelous open style, light is free to enter through the top, the bottom, and even a fair portion of the side of this diamond, allowing the stone to emit a greater brilliance than that of a diamond of equal size and clarity set in a full bezel or a closed cathedral prong setting. If your intended loves light and color, this ethereal antique ring is the perfect choice to pronounce your forever love.