Garnet and diamond cluster ring, circa 1900. Demantoids are a rare and highly prized green variety of garnet. Discovered in Russia’s Ural mountains in 1854, demantoid garnets quickly became a favoured stone of jewellers across Europe and America, renowned for their rich green colour, and particularly their fiery appearance, owing to their unusually high lustre and dispersion (the ability to split white light into a rainbow spectrum), which led to their name, meaning ‘diamond-like’. Though newer deposits were later discovered in the late 20^th century, demantoid garnets are still rare stones, and the vast majority are under three carats. This example is a beautifully saturated green, and even has the characteristic chrysotile ‘horsetail’ inclusion which is a strong indicator of Russian origin. Surrounded by eight old mine cut diamonds, this Edwardian cluster ring balances classic, traditional design with a historic, unusual and beautiful central stone.