18k Soviet Emerald & Diamond Ring - Sz 6

I have been going back and forth about possibly releasing this ring for months because while I never find myself reaching for it, it is truly a special ring -  and I will explain why... This is a Russian emerald ring with Soviet hallmarks. "So what, Cristy?" - Lots of whats, actually. Russian emeralds are some of the rarest, and finest emeralds in the world. They make up only 2% of the world's emerald production and is some of the clearest emeralds you can find. Discovered in the early 19th century, they were heavily favored by Russian tsars, used in imperial court jewelry, and famously used in Fabergé Eggs. With no oil in these emeralds, they come in a deep rich green with blueish tones that is so ethereal, it pierces your soul.  That's the "what" behind the emerald  stone itself. Then we have the “whats” of the ring as a whole, which contains Soviet hallmarks. The star with hammer and sickle means this ring was produced in the USSR between 1958 - 1991. The "M" to the left of it denotes that this was assayed in Moscow. Lastly, there is a code with Cyrillic letters and numbers that identifies the specific manufacturer and year of production. Fun fact: between the years 2006 and 2008, Russians were buying up all the Russian/Soviet jewelry they could find world-wide. This intense "buying rush" was driven by a combination of extreme economic wealth, shifting political dynamics, and investment strategy by wealthy Russian buyers and Oligarchs wanting to bring back some of their nation’s history home. Between this and the simple fact that there isn't much Russian jewelry out there (everything was seized after the revolution and melted down in the '20s), this ring is not only rare but very valuable. Now, there is always a chance that something is not authentic (as is with many things worth a great amount); however, I did have this ring reviewed by a gemologist that confirmed the emerald is real, so that is one point for authentic. Regardless, this ring is a dream piece for many well-versed collectors, and I'm an idiot.

Specifications:

• Mid Century
• 18k yellow and white gold
• Soviet hallmarks
• 0.3 ctw step cut (likely Russian) emerald and single cut natural diamonds
• 3.3g
• Sz 6 and sizable, but could disrupt the hallmarks (which are crucial in order to maintain the ring’s value). I highly recommend against that for this particular piece.
• In excellent, vintage condition (appears it was sized once before)