Colonial era gold ring ?

[Chief31]

Trying to find out an age of this gold ring I found detecting at colonial farm in Central Virginia First place I went to tested it at 18k then I finally was able to get it XRF tested and photo shows metal breakdown they said 14k with silver and copper too(see percentages) . Based on the alloys and the design can any expert identify age ? It could be as old as 1600s thru 1800s I believe. No marking on inside..

 

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[toasted]

Not a Posy ring without the inscription but it could still be pretty old. I think the old ones are usually 18k or higher though

 

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[BennyV]

Trying to find out an age of this gold ring I found detecting at colonial farm in Central Virginia First place I went to tested it at 18k then I finally was able to get it XRF tested and photo shows metal breakdown they said 14k with silver and copper too(see percentages) . Based on the alloys and the design can any expert identify age ? It could be as old as 1600s thru 1800s I believe. No marking on inside..

That’s cool

 

[Emil W]

Very nice find, congratulations.

Being 14K makes it most likely mid-Victorian or newer.

Style suggests older than deco but also suggests not pre-Victorian when you also consider it's 14K.

14K would be unlikely before the 1840s when standard gold alloys for jewelry would be 22K, 18K, 15K, 12K, and 9K. Prior to the mid 1850s gold jewelry would have been 18K-22K as the norm.

 

[Chief31]

Very nice find, congratulations.

Being 14K makes it most likely mid-Victorian or newer.

Style suggests older than deco but also suggests not pre-Victorian when you also consider it's 14K.

14K would be unlikely before the 1840s when standard gold alloys for jewelry would be 22K, 18K, 15K, 12K, and 9K. Prior to the mid 1850s gold jewelry would have been 18K-22K as the norm.

First jeweler I brought it too tested it at 18k

 

[Emil W]

Take it to a third jeweler for another opinion. The color of the gold doesn't look more than 14K in your photos, but that admittedly could just be how it shows on my monitor. Your XRF test shows it to be 14K (58.3% gold content is 14K gold and yours tested about 57%) and XRF is much more accurate than acid tests.

The style, to me, still is more modern than 18th century based on a couple decades of dealing with jewelry. Hope for your sake I'm wrong.

 

[ArfieBoy]

That ring is a beauty no matter its age! Great find!

 

[JohnnyMac]

Trying to find out an age of this gold ring I found detecting at colonial farm in Central Virginia First place I went to tested it at 18k then I finally was able to get it XRF tested and photo shows metal breakdown they said 14k with silver and copper too(see percentages) . Based on the alloys and the design can any expert identify age ? It could be as old as 1600s thru 1800s I believe. No marking on inside..

Congrats

 

[Chief31]

Very nice find, congratulations.

Being 14K makes it most likely mid-Victorian or newer.

Style suggests older than deco but also suggests not pre-Victorian when you also consider it's 14K.

14K would be unlikely before the 1840s when standard gold alloys for jewelry would be 22K, 18K, 15K, 12K, and 9K. Prior to the mid 1850s gold jewelry would have been 18K-22K as the norm.

A few jewelry experts have responded both think late 1700s into very early 1800s Is the Time frame

 

[tamrock]

A few jewelry experts have responded both think late 1700s into very early 1800s Is the Time frame

Well I guess that about sums it up.

 

[sportsphotos]

Being in VA I would think there are plenty of labs that could date it and give you the origin of where it was made.

 

[JeffInMass]

Can't help with the age (surely older than me!), but I can help with Congratulating you for an incredible find!

 

[glass half fool]

That is a beautiful ring . And quite the find !! I to would be interested in any historical info But I am amazed by it's various symbols and what if anything they mean .It is stunning I would agree that it should be a Banner find

 

[billb]

Outstanding
Congratulations on your beautiful recovery

 

[Emil W]

A few jewelry experts have responded both think late 1700s into very early 1800s Is the Time frame

Sorry, but unless you can have another XRF scan confirm that it's NOT 14K (has to be at least 18K for pre-1800.) then my 20+ years of jewelry experience disagrees with your other experts. I authenticate early jewelry pieces for auctions.

It's a great find, regardless of age, but I understand you wanting it to be earlier. Unfortunately it isn't.

 

[Cape Hunter]

Very interesting ring. Seems there are separate lines between symbols. Some symbols beinging more complex than others. I don't think it's just decorative flourishment. Looks like it might say something. Kind of like tablet writing of some sort. I would guess it meant something to the owner for sure.

 

[VaGent]

That is a stunning find.. the inscriptions on it almost look like Arabic writing?

 

[finderzzs]

Trying to find out an age of this gold ring I found detecting at colonial farm in Central Virginia First place I went to tested it at 18k then I finally was able to get it XRF tested and photo shows metal breakdown they said 14k with silver and copper too(see percentages) . Based on the alloys and the design can any expert identify age ? It could be as old as 1600s thru 1800s I believe. No marking on inside..

It kind of looks like Arabic writing. Nice find though.

 

[Chief31]

Thx all

 

[Chief31]

Sorry, but unless you can have another XRF scan confirm that it's NOT 14K (has to be at least 18K for pre-1800.) then my 20+ years of jewelry experience disagrees with your other experts. I authenticate early jewelry pieces for auctions.

It's a great find, regardless of age, but I understand you wanting it to be earlier. Unfortunately it isn't.

We can agree to disagree but I trust the sources that responded to me , I’m not saying it’s 1700s but quite certain it’s at least early 1800s /1820s. This was an interesting comment from a well respected antique jewelry expert regarding you assessment on 14k

I don't agree with that statement as in the US pre 1800s metal smith's did not have any purity for gold they followed. Its what they melted down. In France and England that held true but not the colonies where assay offices did not exist.

 

[Emil W]

When authenticating any antique or antiquity, if even one aspect of its construction, material composition, wear patterns, design, patina, etc. is not the norm for the object and time period, the item is always considered to be inauthentic for that period unless the item has a documented provenance. This is standard procedure for professionals within the field. If anyone tells you otherwise they aren't professionals within that specific field.

Claiming the gold content would vary is virtually untrue for anything other than for a piece made at home by a novice, but even then the gold (or silver) used would have been from readily available sources such as coins or melted down scrap jewelry. Even in the remote possibility that the piece was made using found gold, your XRF metal percentages for gold, silver, and copper are within the expected ranges for modern gold jewelry. That would be a seriously unlikely coincidence. Other than those remote possibilities, gold standards have been arounf for longer than you believe.

I've said all I have to say on the subject and you're certainly free to ignore any information I've given you, but as an established authenticator I stand by my assessment.

As I've said before, it's a nice find no matter what.