Featured Gold and enamel (?) buckle ring needing a fix

Hi, I recently bought this ring online to use as a daily-wear piece. It was sold as a 14ct gold and black enamel ring, circa 1910. It arrived and I love it (it's not going back). Pretty and feels great. One thing - that's not black enamel. Oh, two things - the ad mentioned wear to the enamel in one section but it is downright smashed/cracked.

I am not too worried as I am careful with rings but I do want and intend to wear the ring often. My first plan was to just put a dot of clear nailpolish in the damage to shore it up a bit. Now I hestitate. I don't have a loupe (need to get!) But when I look at the "enamel" with a crappy magnifying glass it looks more like something brown under glass. It certainly looks like broken glass more than cracked enamel at the break. It looks patterned and I am eorried it might be old hairwork.

What do you guys think? I have seen rings online that look similar with hair in a channel. But no glass overlay. Did they ever do this? Should I just try a wee bit of nailpolish? Is there something I could use that's more chemically neutral? My first thought was that @kyratango might have some advice.

Thanks for reading and for any help!!!

 

I don't think it's glue from something that is lost only because it fills the space so nicely with no room to spare. There is definitely a clear layer over SOMETHING.

I keep looking at loupes online but really want to buy local. Just have never seen one locally . I am goong downtown tomorrow and we have lots of bead shops. One MUST sell them. If not, maybe they will let me use one for a minute. Hopefully I will have more info soon to share! I wish I could get a better pic with my phone.

ETA i remember the fun! Somewhere packed I have a printers loupe from an old job. I looked at everything!

 

It is not enamel... Remains are hair work! These didn’t have glass on the hair, someone tried to mend it with glue (it cristalized?)
A mourning buckle ring!
https://www.1stdibs.com/fr/joaillerie/bagues/joncs/bague-de-deuil-victorienne-ancienne-à-boucle-or-jaune-15-carats-travail-de-cheveux/id-j_15053902/?modal=intlWelcomeModal
IMO, best is to remove the out of hope damaged hair by soaking in boiling water, then find some convenient thing to replace it... (A brown thick ribbon-cord?)

 

you so smart !!!
always a treat to see u come up with the right answer !

 

Not sure is it is right, only what I'd try!

 

Once cleaned to the plain gold, I'd try this in 0.5mm, brown, braided, then ironed to flatten band and installing in the recesses with tiny amount of glue under it.
https://www.joom.com/fr/products/61...MIycP_v4SD_QIV1_ZRCh0sLw9oEAQYBiABEgIKjPD_BwE

 

Ooh! I bet you are correct! The thought had crossed my mind (sans the crystallization) but I plumb forgot - it's been a nagging question for a mo th or so. Id that's what happened, I hope/bet it was getting rough looking and a bit ugly.

I will probably keep it as is for now and work on it if it gets messy. The chip is hidden when I wear it and isn't so rough it hurts. I'd hate to turf someone's carefully kept wee lock.

That would look perfect, I bet. What kind of glue would you recommend? Something sturdy yet removable?

 

A gorgeous ring, Owliza, and good luck with your project.
I agree with using something removable.

Absolutely!

Of course it's right!

 

Thanks! Normally I would be a bit put out with something not quite as described but it really is pretty and goes well with the other ring I wear on that hand. It's lived a lofe and I am happy to take it on. As to giving it more life, the Anthropology major in me dictates that I must not mess it up too much

 

Listen to her, she gives sound advice.

 

How I appreciate you think keeping the memento! I hate removing locks of hair from antique lockets, I only remove when it is a careless mess!
For the glue, if you decide to replace with cord, I'd use a white wood glue (it becomes transparent when dry!).

 

I don't think I could do it! Somebody cared aboit somebody enoigh to do that. Plus, itt honestly looks pretty nice to the naked eye - sort of like that ripple effect enamel. guess Somebody else thought the same thing about the ring - even if it turned out weird. Still dying to see it more magnified but I am pretty sure it is hair in there. But who's??? No engraving inside

 

Sorry all for typos! On phone and my fingers are a little uncooperative tonight...

 

For fun- this is the ring that lives on the next finger. It's a pin conversion with a crappy solder job (doesn't show enough to bother when wearing). It took a while to find something I liked next to it.

 

Beautiful ring & I'm quite sure Kyra could do a perfect job on this.Is $750 or thereabouts roughly what these rings go for ?

 

that's good enuf 4 me !!!

& u provided the Best Answer.....even if the honour went to someone else...!!

 

What fun pieces. Ok, here is a dumb suggestion. What if you replaced the hair with your own (or someone you love) and put some clear resin over it? Or this is a long shot - but do you have a jeweler who does "stone work"... would it be possible to create a slightly curved gemstone to fit? Perhaps an agate or something?

Back to hairwork: I know a lot of people have an aversion to hair work... but I personally think it is charming. And, MUCH hair work was done with hair of a LIVING beloved. Originally created to have a "touchstone" with someone who was far away... perhaps someone who was immigrating over seas, a beloved off to war... a sister getting married and moving away from the local area. There were many reasons; but all done before the days of photos.

The Victorian jewelers rather changed the outlook after photos came into existence as it cut down on their orders; particularly braided jewelry. It slowly drifted to hairwork made from a deceased and the Victorians' embraced it - especially Victoria who of course, mourned her dear consort until she died.

The Victorians also used hair work as a parlor art and ladies would get together as a "quilt bee" might and worked flowers made from their friends hair and fashioned them into wreaths. Apparently, it was a "thing" to see how many colors you could use. Many pieces had much meaning - with the way that the wreath was situated - open ends up or down, trinkets added...

What ever you decide... have fun with the piece and show us the final product!
Cheerio,
Leslie

 

Ditto.

 

Yes! It definitely has that old glue look. Highly glossy though so definitely looks like a later save. I'd definitely repair it too. Probably with new hair...but I love delicate craft projects like that.

Perhaps it would make you feel better to know that very often delicate woven hairwork was not actually from a relative of the owner. It took ages to do just one piece, and the fashion demand was high, so jewelry stores kept pre-done pieces ready to purchase. There was a significant boom in the hair trade from the mid to late 19th century, with many traders not just sourcing hair, but also creating the hairwork in advance to sell all across Europe. A real relative piece is more likely to be a lock or braid than an intricate weave.