ADAM'S Fine Jewellery & Ladies Watches 12th May 2026

TUESDAY 12 TH MAY 2026 . STARTING AT 4PM 196 214 MARGHERITA BURGENER: A PAIR OF DIAMOND EARSTUDS Each star-shaped stud, pavé-set with brilliant-cut diamonds, mounted in blue titanium and 18K gold, with maker’s mark ‘MB’ for Margherita Burgener, diamonds 0.52ct total, with maker’s case, length 9mm € 1,000 - 1,500 215 A RARE GARNET AND DIAMOND DRESS RING The circular-cut purple garnet weighing 18.70cts, within a triple four-claw setting accented with brilliant-cut diamonds, mounted in 18K gold, with indistinct maker’s mark, French assay mark, ring size M € 5,000 - 6,000 Purple garnet belongs not to a single mineral species but to the wider garnet group, capable of producing colours from vivid green to deep red and, more rarely, rich purple. Its name derives from the medieval Latin granatus, a reference to the pomegran- ate, whose seeds resemble the gemstone’s crystals. Among its more unusual members are the pyrope–almandine garnets of East Africa, particularly from Mozambique, with ad- ditional deposits in Tanzania and Madagascar. Gaining wider attention in the mid-2010s, these stones display hues shifting between violet, plum and reddish purple, their colour caused primarily by iron within the crystal structure. Fine examples are rarely encountered in larger sizes: clean, well-saturated stones above two or three carats are uncom- mon, while specimens exceeding five carats are exceptional, reflecting both their geological formation and the scarcity of high-quality rough. Purple has long been among the most symbolically charged of colours, historically reserved for the highest ranks of society due to the rarity and cost of its dyes. In ancient Rome it was synon- ymous with imperial authority, and in later centuries it became closely associated with courts, ceremony, and power. These en- during associations lend a quiet resonance to purple garnets, enhancing a gemstone already distinguished by the richness and rarity of its tone.