Cartier coral and onyx ring. Set with six rectangular cabochon onyx in closed back rubover settings, alternately set with six rectangular cabochon coral in closed back rubover setings, to a dress ring design featuring bar details, polished edges and closed backholing, to a smooth conforming band with ridged inside edging and an approximate width of 10mm. Marked 18 carat yellow gold, maker's mark for Cartier, French, circa 1975, authenticated by Cartier, accompanied by Cartier pouch.

Cartier has an extensive history of using coral, dating as far back as the 1920's when the ever-innovative Louis Cartier (1875-1942) embraced coral elements, which were championed in Cartier jewels for the following sixty years.

As per Francesca Cartier Brickell, great-granddaughter of Jacques Théodule Cartier (1884-1941) and author of ‘The Cartiers’, "Louis had very strong ideas about which colours to put together for maximum effect and the combinations he chose became known as 'classic Cartier'. There was the Eastern-inspired blue and green of course, but there was also the very striking coral and black. White and black (diamonds and onyx) were hard to beat for elegant evening jewels but combined with coral worked in the day too, as did coral and emeralds, and coral and pearls."

Cartier excelled in fine coral jewels throughout the 1960s and 1970s, as they went on to design pieces to be worn in a more casual manner to reflect the lifestyles of the era.

This ring is in excellent condition.