Rustic Vintage Amethyst Ring

For as long as people have been making jewelry from precious materials, they have been recycling and reusing those components as styles, tastes, and ownership change. This ring is one of those funny little marriages of two separate pieces that come along now and then, and always drive our curiosity about the history and stories behind the components and how they found their way to one another. This quirky piece features a well-loved amethyst in a 9k mount (our best guess is from a pin), that has a much later shank with (now also worn) chased detailing the whole way around. That band dates to the 1930s, but it's hard to say when the two were joined - though from the patina throughout we know it was still some time ago!

While many of us associate rich purples with royalty (Kassia St Clair writes beautifully about the history behind this in The Secret Lives of Colour), amethyst is particular was associated with divinity, and regularly used in both royal and religious jewelry. The ancient Greeks both associated the stone with Dionysus and believed that it could prevent drunkenness - and as with many cultures, the stone was only considered effective in as far as it was touching the wearer's skin directly. The conversion to ring on this piece ensures that, as you can see the pavilion of the stone extends noticeably into the ring's finger hole.

Fair vintage condition with noticeable wear to gold and amethyst.

Details:
• 9k yellow gold mount (tested) with an 18k yellow gold band, tested and with British hallmarks for Birmingham 1934
• Fits most comfortably around a 6-6.5, do not recommend resizing
• One faceted oval amethyst, approximately 7.55ct
• Face of ring measures 15mm wide, 13.2mm across, with a rise of 7.9mm; back of band measures 3.3mm wide and 0.8mm thick
• 4.0g