An eighteenth century iberian ring, centering a cushion shaped ruby in pinched collet setting, surrounded by alternating emeralds and rubies in rubover settings, all closed-back and foiled, reverse with scalloped decoration, engraved scrollwork to shank, size 6.5. 

The Iberian Peninsula is comprised principally of modern-day Portugal and Spain, but also includes the southwestern part of France. Colonialism during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries resulted in large cargoes of mined gold, emeralds, rubies, chysoberyl, and topaz from the colonies in South America, thus catapulting the wealth of the Iberian Peninsula and leading to new and elaborate forms of jewelry. Upon attending a bullfight in Portugal around the year 1725, Charles Frédéric de Merveilleux commented, "the spectacle was magnificent and as the Portuguese nobility have a great passion for gold, precious stones and flower to ornament their hair, the ladies' balcony presented a sumptuous sight." Typical jewels of the period feature substantial bows and crosses worked in silver or gold and boasting precious gemstones and table cut diamonds, set closed-back and foiled, and everything - from earrings to rings to necklaces to stomachers - was large and extravagant.