Sunday, May 18, 2014

RANGS

I have been obsessing about rings lately.  I've been really getting into jewelry (I've started a silversmithing course) and stones (more on that later) and, like with most anything, I find it's vintage jewelry that really revs my engine.  We were in Prague for Easter, where vintage garnets and amber abound.  Though I was peeved to not be on the Euro when I moved to Sweden, it turns out the krona's pretty mighty when up against many other currencies.  Put it up to the Czech crown, however, and that poor little guy doesn't stand a chance.  So not only is Prague pretty darn affordable for just about anyone, if that anyone (er, someone) is paying in SEK shit's on even bigger discount.

This is my haul of rings from a weekend in Prague.  All interesting, most vintage, and all at great prices.  It became the quest of the trip--finding rings, more rings, what about the rings???  In and out of vintage stores--maybe there's some down this street?  Did we already do this shop?  So. Many. Rings.

RINGS!








First up is an Edwardian stunner in 9k gold with violet sapphires most unusually set.  I like how the bottoms of the stones are exposed and look like jagged teeth.  I think it's remarkably modern for the time.  And the color of the stones is so unusual.  I'm not entirely sure they're not some kind of color-change sapphire, because I swear sometimes they are more purple-y, sometimes more grey, sometimes more pink.  Or maybe it's just my crazy rainbow vision.




Next up in another unusual setting.  This time it's a garnet set in silver, probably '60s era.  It's a good stacker.




Speaking of stackers, this is a vintage garnet 14k jam.  The man at the antique store explained that many of the garnets now come from other places, but Bohemia used to be the spot for these stones.  It's hard to see from the photo, but the stones are set with the pointy side up.  




(Corpse hand...)

This is a little gem from the 1920's in 14k.  I love the elongated hand.  The woman told me it's not a diamond but perhaps a white sapphire, but who knows?  I love it either way.




I forgot to photograph this guy on his own, but I couldn't leave without getting a little amber number, too.  This one's a rounded square, set in sterling.