15th-16th century A.D. A gold ringprising a D-section hoop with heart-shaped panel to the underside, round bezel with hexafoil panel and triangular void enclosing a historic, very early cut diamond. Cf. Chadour, A.B., Rings. The Alice and Louis Koch Collection, volume I, Leeds, 1994, item 675, for type; see also Boardman, J. & Scarisbrick, D. The Ralph Harari Collection of Finger Rings, London, 1977, item 171, for type. 9.22 grams, 26 mm overall, 18.14 mm internal diameter (approximate size British M 1/2, USA 6 1/2, Europe 13.16 Japan 12) (1 in."). European collection, formed in the 1960s and 1970s. Acquired from a London gallery in the late 1980s. Property of a North American collector. Previously in a UK collection. Apanied by a geological report No.TL005180 by geology consultant Dr R. L. Bonewitz. Apanied by an independent specialist report and valuation by a graduate gemmologist and jewellery expert ref. no.0586/02/06/2020. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is apanied by AIAD certificate no.10615-173081. Dr. Ronald Bonewitz notes: 'This stone can be considered ‘historic’ in that it illustrates the earliest efforts at actually re-shaping the stone rather than just polishing the natural faces, as was done previously. Not only that, at this time facets were placed more or less at random, but this stone was very deliberately cut into a proper geometric shape. It is an early and rather splendid example of the evolving diamond-cutter's art.' [A video of this lot is available to view on Timeline Auctions ]Condition Report: Very fine condition.