Ring

[Lakitu]

Hello :o)

My grandmother recently passed away and left me a ring I had coveted since I was little.

Unfortunately, I hadn't thought about the ring much as an adult so have missed the opportunity to ask her the history of it. With the use of a magnifying glass and a torch, I've worked out 1 stamp and it's an 18ct white gold (750), however the 2nd stamp says "690 AL".

Naturally, I googled this and it turns out to be a piece by an Italian designer called Lani Fratelli. Unfortunately, I'm not having much luck finding out much more about the designer and which precious and / or semi precious stones he commonly used.

I have a 5 week wait to see a jewellery appraiser and, frankly, I'm just being impatient as to what the outcome of this appointment might be.

Do any of you know of this designer and what the stones may be? There is a marquise cut red gem in the centre, roughly 1.5cm long that has me stumped as to what it might be (I'm almost certain it's not Ruby). I initially thought it was just a piece if glass, however, I do know my grandmother had it from roughly 50's/60's, I'm starting to doubt this. This gem is surrounded by a halo of 20 diamonds, which makes me even less sure a random piece of glass would be used as centrepiece? Possibly a garnet, but I am not sure when they started being used in lieu of rubies.

Many thanks for any input :o)

[follyfancier]

Garnets have been around for many years,there are several types ,or it could be a Red Spinel, the Black Prince's Ruby in the Imperial State Crown is actually a red spinel

[Buenchico]

>>>it turns out to be a piece by an Italian designer called Lani Fratelli. Unfortunately, I'm not having much luck finding out much more about the designer . . .

Probably because there is no such person! Lani Fratelli is a company founded in 1953 by Gianfranco and Luigi Lani.

I suggest emailing a photograph of your ring to [email protected] to see if they can tell you anything about it.

Chris

[Lakitu]

I have wondered if its red spinel too, follyfancier. If garners have been around for many years, then I suspect this is what it'll turn out to be.

Buenchico, thank you for that, I'll get googling on those two names instead of Lani Fratelli.

Thank you both for your input :o)

[coccinelle]

Lani Fratelli just means the Lani brothers.