Smooth Turn of the Century Signet Ring

A beautiful and well-loved signet ring, this piece is a slice of Canadian jewelry history. While the face of the ring is hand engraved with a hand holding a scroll and wheat at the base, the inside is stamped for the Ryrie Brothers, Toronto jewellers from the turn of the century.

Founded around 1879, with their first location at 113 Yonge Street, the Ryrie jewellers eventually took over the adjoining storefront as well, moving incrementally north on Yonge until they were located at Yonge and Temperance, and erected a building in their name as an investment slightly further north still. The Ryrie Building is still recognizable today at the corner of Yonge and Shuter (it currently houses an upscale fitness club and Urban Outfitters). In the early 20th century, Ryrie and the Montreal-based Birks were spending great amounts each to produce nearly identical catalogues, and merged in 1904, reducing costs. By 1933, the Ryries had effectively retired from the jewelry business while the firm grew to be Birks, Ellis, and Ryrie Limited in name - and though today Birks stores remain throughout Canada, the name Ryrie is but a distant memory.

Details:
• 14k yellow gold, stamped, with makers mark Ryrie
• Size 7 and can be resized within reason
• Rise off finger is 1.7mm, face of signet is 12mm x 18.8mm, back of band tapers to 3mm wide and 0.8mm thick
• 6.3g