The Salvador Dalí for Piaget 22ct Minted ½ Dali d'Or Coin Ring

This beautiful gold ring is not simply a piece of jewellery, but a piece of art. A ½ Dalí d'Or coin, in a signed Piaget 18ct mount with European convention marks. The coin itself is marked 900/1000 for approximately 22ct.

In 1966, Dalí created two medals for the 'Monnaie de Paris' (The Paris Mint) and started minting his own currency, inspired by Louis XIV's Louis d'Or,  known as the "Dalí d'Or". Dalí had a lifetime attraction to gold and so he indulged in his passion by minting his own line of engraved gold coins. In 1967, Piaget released a limited edition collection of watches, jewellery and collection crafted with coins from the Dalí mint which was unveiled in Paris with Dalí presiding in a transparent inflatable chair.

Representing himself and his wife and muse, Gala, the coins were made over a ten year period in conjunction with Huguenin Frères and had four denominations ranging from half a Dalí d'Or to five Dalí d'Or.

Size N UK/AU, 6½ US/CA, 54 FR/RU, 17 DE

Ring weight: 14.7g

Included with this purchase is the book 'Piaget' by Franco Cologni in which the Dalí d'Or and Piaget's desire to combine art and jewellery is discussed.

Depicting himself and Gala with as well as recurring motifs such as laurel leaves and eggs - a symbol of rebirth frequently used in his work. Piaget described these pieces at the time of release as follows:

From the genius of Salvador Dalí, his palette and his crucible, a new coinage has come to us – the Gold Dalí. The obverse bears the famous mustachioed 'lucky antennae' profile, inseparable from the effigy of wife Gala: 'my Gravida queller of terrors and conqueror of desire'.

On the reverse, in the likeness of our own earthly sphere – the hard yet soft element – are the eggs, teeming with life in process of formation – the world of tomorrow. For Salvador Dali, the egg is so replete with meaning that it is to be found in most of his key-works.

Enthralled by these captivating gold coins, emblems of art absolute from Dali's alchemistic smithy, PIAGET, the master-jewellers, have secured the sole right to combine them with their own ‘haut luxe' production. And so you will now find '5 Dali' - '2 Dali' - '1 Dali' - '½ Dali' pieces converted, as is done with antique coins, into pendants, bracelets, rings and other exclusive items. We may add that each and every Dali coin has a 900/1000 gold content and bears a serial number. Mintage is, of course, limited.