Jewelry holds a key role in completing an outfit, yet often, we find ourselves limited to investing in just one exquisite piece rather than several ones. But we would get more options if jewelry were crafted with modularity in mind as it happened in the… 1700s.
They say never judge a book by its cover, a maxim proven true by the "Ringstein Kabinett." This rare German item is a portable artwork, it is indeed a leather case masqueraded as a book with a gold-embossed inscription, "Amusement Lithologique" (Lithological Amusement).
Within the box there is indeed a gold ring with a frame that can be opened and several velvet trays containing interchangeable hardstone cabochons - opals, granite, petrified wood, amethyst, jasper, and lapis lazuli - alongside a handwritten German catalog detailing the stones' origins.
These treasures, often attributed to Johann Christian Neuber of Dresden, crafted between 1790 and 1801, are veritable cabinets of curiosities (they were probably inspired by them) and worldly atlases as well.
The colored stones were indeed sourced from all over the world and the selection included amazonite stone from Siberia, rose quartz from the Hohwald, agate from Chemnitz, bismuth from Freiberg, jasper from Italy and banded calcedony from Iceland.
Neuber often incorporated into his works pieces from the stone collection he had inherited from his father-in-law, Heinrich Taddel, a renowned goldsmith in Dresden from 1739, who served as the director of the Green Vaults, the treasury of the Electors of Saxony and Kings of Poland.
The stones served as fashionable accessories and emblems of the wearer's erudition and sophistication: these sort of accessories were sought after at the time as natural sciences flourished and mineralogy found its place as a sought-after pursuit among both scholars and enthusiasts within the burgeoning educated bourgeoisie. The moniker "Amusement Lithologique" also highlighted a dual purpose for these compact compilations of rings and gemstones: not merely serving scientific curiosity, but also offering personal edification, pleasure and delight.
Though rare, these gemstone cabinets occasionally surface at auctions, and are usually valued from €50,000, so keep an eye open in antique market (or in attics), in case you find them by pure chance and at bargain prices. Who knows, maybe this sort of historical treasures could find new life through reinvention by contemporary fashion designers. Their multifaceted nature and unique allure suggest they might offer a more fascinating alternative to the typical jewels seen on today's runways.