AUGUSTIN JULIA PLANA 1960 Swiss Geometric Cocktail Ring In 18Kt Gold With Lapis
Cocktail ring designed by Augustin Julia Plana (1934-1979) for Simon Schlegel.
This is a very rare and unusual cocktail ring, created in the city of Bern Switzerland by the artist jeweler Augustin Julia-Plana, for Simon Schlegel, back in the late 1960. The ring has been crafted in solid yellow gold of 18 karats with highly textured finish. The design was made up as a free arrangement of eight oval elements, which are mounted with natural Afghani blue lapis lazuli. This cocktail ring show the typical early artistic composition from this designer.
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.
Lapis Lazuli: Mounted on top in bezel settings, with 8 oval cabochon flat cuts (7 x 5 x 2 mm) carved from natural blue lapis lazuli.
Birthstone: Lapis lazuli for the month of September.
Weight: 12.70 Grams, (8.15 Dwt).
Size: 8.75 and can be sized on special request.
Measurements: 22 mm by 24 mm (0.87 x 0.95 Inches) and raise 14 mm over the finger.
Hallmarks: Stamped with Swiss marks; the maker's mark logo S-P for Simon Schlegel & Plana, the mark for the .750/.999 assay of the gold and signed as follow, "SWISS SP 18KT".
Collateral: This cocktail 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. The 8 lapis lazuli carvings are secured in their settings. This ring has been carefully inspected to guarantee the condition and authenticity.
INVENTORY REF: R092124VIAE/.3052
