Diamond, Platinum Earrings 4674AP

The Edwardian period (1901-1915) began with the death of Queen Victoria, when her son Edward became King. During this period, many of the Edwardian-designed pieces incorporated more expensive gems such as diamonds, emeralds, and rubies in elaborate designs.

Diamonds with this cut possess a squarish girdle with gently rounded corners. Old mine cut diamonds have a high crown, a small table, and a large, flat culet. They are similar to today’s cushion cut. The old mine cut dates to the 1700s and was most prevalent during the Georgian and Victorian eras.

A single cut diamond has a large table and an octagonal girdle. The culet, or bottom edge of the diamond, may be pointed or it may be flat. A single cut diamond usually has 18 facets. The single cut is an extremely old diamond cut dating to the 1300s.

The element platinum derives its name from the Spanish Platina del Pinto which translates to ‘little silver from the Pinto’ (said to be a river near Popayan, Columbia in which alluvial platinum was first found by the Spanish Conquistadors). Its white metallic luster leaves little doubt as to why the Spanish chose the name. Platinum belongs to a group of elements, fittingly called the platinum group of metals. Apart from platinum the group comprises Osmium, Iridium, Palladium, Rhodium and Ruthenium. Platinum is often found as natural alloys containing one or more of these other elements and it wasn’t until 1804 that all but one of the elements were isolated and named. Platinum is malleable, ductile and very strong. In addition, it does not tarnish and it doesn’t corrode making it a highly prized metal and extremely suitable for the manufacture of fine jewelry.