Description
This is an impressive antique French 18ct gold ring set with a large oblong emerald cut citrine (16.2mm x 12.2mm x 9.2mm). The ring would have been a piece commissioned by Clerc and made according to their specifications by a workshop or, more likely workshops. It has a beautiful fluted setting and bears a large emerald cut citrine. The back of the setting is signed “CLERC PARIS” and the ring is stamped with the eagle heads which indicate that the gold is 18ct (these ‘poinçons’ are akin to English hallmarks but do not provide the same ability to date a piece).
In our view the ring probably dates to c. 1900-1910 given the design, the address of 4 Place de l’Opera in the box, etc. So, it is probably made towards the end of the era of the great Charles Rémy Clerc. The stone is a nice natural light lemon yellow colour and not the more bright / lurid colours of modern treated and enhanced stones.
About the maison de Clerc Paris
The maison Clerc was a high end jewellery house established in Paris. It had a relatively short life (65 years) which was cut short by the Second World War and the confiscation of the business by the Nazi regime in the 1940s. The maison was originally established by Charles Rémy Clerc in 1874 as a high end jeweller. The maison Clerc, particularly under Charles Clerc, became highly regarded in Paris as a destination jewellery house. Spurred on by his success, Charles acquired a total of three premises including the prime location of No. 4 Place de l’Opera in 1898 with a view to establishing a place of business for each of his three sons to inherit. Sadly, one of his sons, John, died in the First World War and Charles passed away shortly thereafter purportedly in grief for the loss of his son. The two remaining brothers, Paul and Charles, fell out and Charles, the eldest of the brothers, invoked certain powers to largely disinherit Paul. Charles eventually sold the maison Clerc to a Jewish businessman, Joseph Liebman in the 1930s following financial difficulties. Not long thereafter, however, in 1940, the property of the company is confiscated under the aryanisation legislation which permitted property of Jews to be taken and sold, spelling the end of Clerc.
Size M 1/2 (UK) / 6.75 (US).
ABOUT OUR JEWELLERY
This piece has been specifically selected by us, for you. We choose vintage and antique items which we think are beautiful, elegant and classic at a range of price points between £30 and £3,000. Generally, this means we only ever have one of each piece. We don’t select pieces which are “mass market” but rather items which are more individual. This means that once an item has been purchased, it really has gone. Each piece comes in an attractive jewellery presentation box.