Antique 14K Yellow Gold Diamond Snake Ring — Rose Cut Diamond Eyes, Circa 1900, Size 6.75

A single serpent in 14K yellow gold wraps the finger, its body tapering from a 10.9 mm head to a 4.9 mm tail. Two rose cut diamonds are set as its eyes, and a round diamond of 0.11 carats sits in the crown of the head. The ring rises only 2.9 mm off the hand, so the snake lies close and flat, the way a real one would.

It was made circa 1905, at the end of the longest run any motif has had in Western jewelry. The serpent ring became the love token of the nineteenth century in 1839, when Prince Albert gave the young Queen Victoria a coiled gold snake set with an emerald as her engagement ring. For the next sixty years the snake was the era's shorthand for a love with no end, its body drawn from the ouroboros, the ancient serpent that circles back on itself and has neither beginning nor finish. By the turn of the century the form had also been taken up by the Art Nouveau jewelers, who loved it for its line. A ring of 1905 inherits both traditions: the sentiment of the Victorians and the sinuous drawing of the new century.

The stones are placed with the same intent. Rose cuts were the natural choice for eyes: flat-backed and faceted across a shallow dome, they glint rather than blaze, and at this scale they give the snake an alert, living look. The head diamond does the opposite job, throwing a point of light from the top of the ring. The three stones total an estimated 0.15 carats and are graded K–L in color and SI1–SI2 in clarity. That faint warmth is correct for the period and sits well in yellow gold; a colorless modern stone would look like a replacement here.

The snake has carried other meanings, too. It sheds its skin, so it stands for renewal and transformation. It guards, so it was worn for protection and luck. A serpent ring has been given at engagements, at anniversaries, and at the start of a new chapter, and it suits all three.

RING
Material: 14k yellow gold
Measurements: 10.9–4.9 mm wide / 2.9 mm high off finger
Weight: 3.3 grams
Ring Size: 6.75 (inquire about sizing options)
Period: Circa 1905

DIAMONDS
Quantity: 3
Weight: 0.15 cts (estimated total)
Cut: Rose cut (eyes), round (head)
Color: K–L
Clarity: SI1–2