Ribbed Antique Personalized Band Ring

This stunning turn of the century ring has a simple, clean design that looks modern as anything - and an old-timey secret tucked inside! Along with British hallmarks that date to 1902, the ring holds a simple but perhaps mysterious engraving. The initials I.S. and L.S.H. are followed by a date that precedes the hallmarks by decades, and "Aei" - and this is where our jewelry sleuthing comes in!

The hallmarks in the ring trace it back to jewellers Kinsey Brothers & Patrick Ltd - established in 1885 - and put its production near 1902. In the United Kingdom, goldsmiths and jewelry manufacturers must submit their finished articles to central assay offices, who are responsible for testing the gold's purity and applying the appropriate hallmarks as confirmation. As pieces of jewelry could not be sold without these stamps, business sense would hold that they were sent to assay as soon after their production as possible, but from there it can be impossible to know how long a piece sat on a retailer's floor before purchase.

So why, then, would this ring have an engraving that precedes its manufacture? And what on earth does "Aei" mean? A greek word that translates to always, forever, ever, it also seems to be an early example of a backronym, with many sources crediting the letters to stand for Amity, Eternity, Infinity. Though in many ways today, we think of the Victorians as a repressed and buttoned-up society, they were deeply romantic and fond hiding that fact in codes and symbols. The pair of initials combined with the sentiment Aei lends quite nicely to the theory that these were two individuals whose hearts and lives were deeply entwined - and paired with a date, it wouldn't be a stretch to think that, if this ring had been picked up in early 1903, it could easily mark a 40th anniversary.

Subtle yet deeply romantic, a classic Victorian move.

Very good antique condition with wear in line with age and use.

Details:
• 18k yellow gold, with British hallmarks for Birmingham, 1902, maker's mark KBSP
• Size 6 and do not recommend resizing
• Ring measures 4.4mm wide and 0.9mm thick
• 2.9g
• Inside of ring hand engraved I.S., L.S.H. 24 February 1863. Aei.