Balinese Ruby Hummingbird Ring

A rare and finely worked Balinese ‘priest’s ring’ dating to the late 19th century, crafted in high-karat gold and set with a ruby cabochon.

This ring exemplifies the distinctive southern Balinese style, where the shoulders are adorned with long-beaked birds—likely stylised hummingbirds—whose beaks ingeniously serve as prongs to secure the ruby. This motif traces back to the Majapahit period in 15th-century East Java and reflects a continuity of Indonesian aesthetic traditions.

The gem is set within a conical bezel, richly decorated with intricate gold granulation and ropework—hallmarks of Balinese metalwork.

The ring is later stamped with a French control mark, likely applied when it entered France in the 20th century.

A similar example was sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong in the 2021 Golden Splendour auction of the Tuyet Nguyet and Stephen Markbreiter Collection—one of the most important private collections of Asian jewellery.

• Ruby cabochon, approx. 0.8ct

• Tests as 18K gold

• UK ring size I½ / US size 4.5

• Bezel protrudes approx. 1cm from the finger

• Total weight: 5.71g

Despite its age, the ring is in wearable condition. The ruby is secure, and the intricate goldwork remains well-preserved with expected softening to some surface details.

A highly collectible example of historic Indonesian jewellery, blending symbolism, technical finesse, and ceremonial design.