Featured Odd Ring Identification Help

I bought a bunch from a collectors' estate. This ring was at the bottom of a chest, so I didn't know I even got it. Very different construction, crude as in like using old tools. It came with my treasures, including a 1905 "A. Conan Doyle" Return of Sherlock Holmes book, so I'm very happy with the other things I did mean to purchase . Thought I'd ask about it though since the other stuff in her estate was so amazing, it didn't seem to go. It is heavy.

 

as rings go....that's pretty neat !!!

 

The 'stone' looks like it's glazed pottery. I wonder if the metal is pewter or tarnished silver or something else...? It looks like it was cut from a flat sheet.

The only old jewelry with glazed pottery cabochons I can find in Google search is Ruskin Pottery, but no finger rings... only brooches, necklaces and buttons. The Ruskin is much more refined looking.

Very mysterious (to me any way) ring you have there, Emalinedawn. We get to see the most interesting things on this board. Thanks for posting your ring! I bet it will be figured out eventually.

 

I'm betting it's straight up artisan work, made by someone who found the ceramic bit somewhere and thought it would make a cool ring. I don't think you'll ever find out whodunnit if it's not marked. It looks older, probably over a century and odds are good it's silver. I'd try taking a polishing cloth to it and see what happens.

 

I think it could be steel. Is that an iris ? Werent they symbols of love and friendship ? A great homemade token,can you imagine giving a modern person something like this ? they'd look at you like you were mad!

 

Could be. It could just be a random arts and crafts flower.

 

I love it! I'd snatch that up in an instant. Has a nice mysterious backstory to go along with it.

 

It looks like nickel silver made in a high school jewelry class in the '70s. Hopefully it got a low grade.

 

if it sticks to a magnet , then iron, or steel, if not ... then i would guess silver .

 

looks like it would get hooked on everything lol

 

The construction is no different than thousands of rings made the last 100 years or longer.There is no "using old tools" ,gold/silversmiths have been using the same type of hand tools for centuries.

 

maybe then....an older design...

 

Hollyblue I have made jewelry for decades. When I said "old," I meant rudimentary, beyond basic. Be it casting or hand forging, even my work bench now versus 25 years ago is very different. Even the same exact tool as improved upon yields different results, even with the same skill level.

 

I forgot to mention I got out my Neodymium magnets I use for gemstones, and no reaction to it. On a side note, in the process, I forgot to move everything off my table, had tools out, and those strong magnets will hurt you lol. Flew across to the tools and about gave me a heart attack lol.

 

Just wondering, how do you use neodymium magnets for gemstones?

 

It could very well be trench art sweetheart jewelry. I have a ring my uncle made for my aunt when he was in France during WWII. It has the same type of primitive feeling.

 

Maybe the fleur de lis on either side is an indication? And the flower is meant to be a forget me not?

 

Or it could just be a piece of pretty pottery the guy found to make a ring out of.

 

I don't know how Emalinedawn uses them, but I use them to detect garnets, which are very slightly magnetic.

 

Any-Jewelry it is an easy tool for gem identification. As she stated, garnets, but more. Wands are cheap and easy to make. A google search can give instructions. I use other tools, but it's the first place I start. Great for when you are out too. If you want to see more here's a great article on how, what, etc. You can type in the website if you don't want the link. https://www.gemstonemagnetism.com/overview_of_magnetism_in_gemstones.html