Lindsay's almost positive this hand is holding an en bloc clip, which are the bullet clips used in the kind of rifles employed in both WW1 and WW2. The dates - 1914 and 1939 - are the years that each of the wars began. The MR could be a military regiment, or maybe someone's initials? And the hallmarks are Dutch. There's a story here for sure, but we only know part of it.
thedetails
- Materials
18k gold (tests), nicolo onyx
- Age
c. 1940
- Condition
Very good - Dutch hallmarks
- Size
5.25, can be resized; 12.2mm head, 2.5mm shank
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Aboutthe
RetroEra
1935 — 1945
Platinum was reserved for military use, so jewelers began relying heavily on gold and experimenting with colored alloys and different finishes. Retro jewelry designs are marked by asymmetry, motifs borrowed from industrial design, and exaggerated scale. Thanks to a hugely successful advertising campaign begun in the 1940s and funded by De Beers, the phrase “a diamond is forever” was coined and diamond rings were touted as the ONLY acceptable type of engagement ring. Carefully worded ads instructed men on how to choose a stone, and what to spend (“two months salary!”). The Gemological Institute of America developed the so-called “4Cs” of diamond grading, which was a scientific system for measuring the color, clarity, cut and carat weight of every single diamond. The costume jewelry industry, having only been established a few decades before, began to flourish. Centered in Providence, Rhode Island, and surrounding New England towns, companies like Trifari, Monet, Hobe, and Vendome prospered as consumers gobbled up inexpensive machine-made jewels.
please note:Terms of Sale
Antiques can be returned unworn and in original condition within 10 days of delivery for an exchange or refund minus the cost of shipping. Once a piece has been altered, including ring re-sizing, it is FINAL SALE.