{"product_id":"an-exceptionally-rare-18th-century-montgolfier-balloon-ring","title":"An Exceptionally Rare 18th-Century Montgolfier Balloon Ring","description":"\u003cp data-start=\"278\" data-end=\"565\"\u003eAn extraordinarily rare commemorative ring celebrating one of the defining breakthroughs of the Enlightenment: the first hot air balloon ascent, launched at Versailles before King Louis XVI on 19 September 1782.\u003cbr data-start=\"497\" data-end=\"500\"\u003e\u003cem data-start=\"500\" data-end=\"565\"\u003e“At long last, man could leave the surface of the earth below.”\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"567\" data-end=\"967\"\u003eThe ring is set with rubies and rose-cut diamonds, forming a finely detailed scene of the Montgolfier brothers, Joseph and Étienne, piloting their balloon each depicted grasping a rope on either side of the ascending craft. This miniature tableau captures the moment humanity first rose from the ground, a marvel that transformed science, imagination, and the trajectory of human exploration.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"969\" data-end=\"1141\"\u003eOnly a small handful of these rings are known to exist, making this example an exceptionally rare piece of 18th-century innovation, symbolism, and technical artistry.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin:\u003c\/strong\u003e French\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDate:\u003c\/strong\u003e Circa 1782\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMaterials:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eGold, Silver, Diamond and Ruby\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMeasurements: \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e• US ring size: \u003cstrong\u003e8\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e½\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr data-start=\"888\" data-end=\"891\"\u003e• Ring face: \u003cstrong data-start=\"904\" data-end=\"920\"\u003e2.1 × 1.7 cm\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Classical Gem Hunter","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52723372589323,"sku":null,"price":9500.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0900\/0638\/9003\/files\/IMG_0597_15b7e316-38fc-49bb-8c8d-86085710c0b9.png?v=1765898851","url":"https:\/\/classicalgemhunter.com\/products\/an-exceptionally-rare-18th-century-montgolfier-balloon-ring","provider":"Classical Gem Hunter","version":"1.0","type":"link"}