AUGUSTIN JULIA PLANA 1970 Cocktail Ring In 18Kt Gold With Geometric Corals
Cocktail ring designed by Augustin Julia Plana (1934-1979).
This is a very rare and unusual cocktail ring, created in Switzerland by the artist jeweler Augustin Julia-Plana, back in the 1970. The ring has been crafted in solid yellow gold of 18 karats with high polished finish. The design was made up as a rounded domed form inlaid throughout with corals. Light to medium reddish-orange in color with free forms geometric bandings accented with black composite edges. All mounted in ridged shoulders.
Augustin Julia-Plana
Augustin Julia-Plana was born in Mataro, near Barcelona, in 1934. In his youth, he was a talented track and field athlete, and in 1954 was the Spanish 4 x 400m relay champion. After military service, he attended art school and then decided to go abroad to pursue his career. In 1963 he joined the Swiss jewelers Simon Schlegel, in Bern, before formally partnering with Schlegel in 1968 as Schlegel & Plana. Julia-Plana and Schlegel enjoyed a successful partnership together, designing and producing jewels for several established European firms, amongst them the French firm of Aldebert, and the Dutch firm of Bonebakker, as well as for watch firms such as Clerc and Yves Saint Blaise. They also counted fashionable women of high society amongst their clients, with Princess Soraya of Iran reportedly being a patron. Julia-Plana was known for using unusual materials in his designs, such as wood, meteorite, maw sit sit, and oxidized iron, selecting materials for their innate beauty rather than monetary value. He won several awards during his career, including multiple German jewellery awards, and four Diamonds International Awards. The De Beers Diamonds International Awards, which began in 1954, was considered the ‘Oscars’ of the jewelry industry, and rewarded beauty, originality, and imaginative use of materials. Julia-Plana won his first Diamonds International Awards in 1965, for a ‘V’ shaped bracelet of structured gold links decorated with diamonds, and won the award a second time in 1967, for a bracelet of shell shaped links, set with diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and emeralds. In 1969 he won the award for two separate designs, one ring set with diamonds and lapis lazuli cubes, and one brooch with tiger’s eye plates and diamonds, and in the same year gained membership of the Diamonds International Academy, joining fellow designers such as Andrew Grima and Gilbert Albert. Julia-Plana's unique and highly regarded designs are rare to see and can be found in the collections of tiffany & co. among others Swiss jewelry houses, with the watchmaker Simon Schlegel and Yves Saint Blaise, as well as under his own name and always are unique pieces. Julia-Plana tragically died at the height of his career in 1979, at age 45, of heart failure.
Coral: Mount on top, with 1 amalgamed formation composed by different types of corals and colors, specially carved to form a cabochon.
Weight: 14.95 Grams, (9.58 Dwt).
Size: 6.5 and can be sized on special request.
Measurements: 23 mm by 26 mm (0.91 x 1.02 Inches) and raise 14 mm over the finger.
Hallmarks: Stamped with Swiss marks; the maker's mark, the mark for the assay of the gold and signed, "DESIGN JULIA PLANA .750".
Collateral: This ring is accompanied by a presentation jewelry box.
Condition: The overall condition of this ring is excellent. Beside the little normal wear, there is no damage to the gold. All parts are secured in the settings. This piece has been carefully inspected to guarantee the condition and authenticity.
INVENTORY REF: R070424MRNM/.3593
