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Tallulah Bankhead Estate 18K Gold, 8ct. Oval Madeira Citrine Art Nouveau Ring

$ 727.85

Availability: 100 in stock
  • Style: Cocktail
  • Brand: Estate
  • Metal: Yellow Gold
  • Country/Region of Manufacture: France
  • Ring Size: 7
  • Refund will be given as: Money Back
  • Material: Stone
  • Item must be returned within: 30 Days
  • Return shipping will be paid by: Seller
  • Restocking Fee: No
  • Condition: Excellent. Please read full description.
  • Metal Purity: 18k
  • Main Stone: Citrine
  • All returns accepted: Returns Accepted

    Description

    The story is that the Alabama-born star commissioned this ring in France early in her career (she picked the gem because the color reminded her of southern sweet tea), wore it to special occasions, and then gifted it to a nurse who cared for her after a surgery, during the long recovery in Jasper Alabama in the 1930's. That is all the information I have and unfortunately cannot find any photos of the ring clearly visible on Tallulah's hand.  I can however attest to it being stunning and unusual just like her, and provide the following details:
    Gemstone: very large (7.5 - 8.5 ct.), just under 2.5 cm long and unusually slender Madaira Citrine of supreme color depth.  My jeweler's opinion is that this is a natural untreated stone, and the gemologist who cut it chose to showcase the exquisite specimen with a big flat table to show it has nothing to hide inside.
    Mounting: 14 thick prongs cradle the stone in Art Nouveau whirls and whiplashes, atop a sturdy band, size 7.
    Marks: The outside of the shank bears 2 stamps: the diamond cartouche maker's mark, and the non-cartouche eagle head stamp indicating solid gold of at least 18k fineness (tested and confirmed).  The inner shank also has 2 marks: a number '2,' (purpose unknown), and an intricate mark directly opposite the eagle stamp called the bigorne mark, the anvil's counterstrike which dates the piece to the early 20th century.
    Condition: One barely-visible scratch (tiny and shallow) near one end of the oval, otherwise perfect condition.
    The help I got from my jeweler included a gold fineness test to affirm the two I had performed.  He concluded that the only added benefits to a full (certified) appraisal would be to maybe identify the maker's mark (but probably not because it is marred by the center cleft in the shank, and there were hundreds of goldsmiths in France in that period), and to assess the precise carat weight of the stone, though he was confident it is about 8 carats.
    Your beautiful ring will be packed with TLC and shipped next-day, Priority with tracking provided, and you WILL need to sign for this delivery.