Antique Sapphire Snake Ring

A striking late 19th-century French snake ring, modelled as a serpent coiled around the finger and set to the head with a vivid royal-blue antique cushion-cut sapphire, approximately 0.35 carats. In the jewellery trade this central stone is traditionally referred to as the “brain of the snake”; its intense blue tone contrasts beautifully with the warm, rosy hue of the 18K gold mount, while the eyes are picked out in green paste, giving sharp definition and character to the head. The sapphire is secured in a raised rub-over bezel with an open back, allowing light to pass through the stone and making it easy to clean; the head and tail are further enriched with crisp ornamental engraving along the coils.

Snake jewellery has been worn for thousands of years, from ancient Egypt, where serpents symbolised divine protection, through Greece and Rome, where they were used as talismans and emblems of eternity and renewal. By the 19th century the motif took on a powerful romantic meaning, especially after 1839, when Queen Victoria was proposed to by Prince Albert with a snake engagement ring. From that moment onward, snake rings became enduring symbols of eternal love and commitment in the Victorian period; this example dates squarely to that era and would most likely have been worn as a romantic or betrothal ring.

French owl control mark for 18K gold; also tests as 18K.

Ring size UK L; US 5.75. Weight 2.93 grams. Measures approximately 7mm wide at the back and 12mm wide at the front, giving generous coverage across the finger.