Victorian Mourning Ring with Natural Pearl in 14k Gold

A small oval of black enamel sits at the center of this Victorian mourning ring, and at its heart a gold star holds a single half pearl. The star is cut into the gold and set flush against the enamel, so the pearl reads as a point of light on a dark field. At either side, the shoulders split into scrolled, enamel-filled lines that carry the black down into the band before the 14k yellow gold shank tapers from 6 mm at the face to a slender 1.8 mm at the back.

In nineteenth-century mourning custom, black enamel marked a period of remembrance, and the pearl, long associated with tears, added a personal and tender note. A star set against black was a familiar Victorian motif of the soul and of hope beyond loss. Rings like this one were made for daily wear: a private remembrance carried on the hand rather than a public statement.

This ring has been worn and loved. At some point in its life it was sized and partially reshanked, work that is visible on close inspection and part of the honest record of a piece that stayed in use. The enamel and pearl are original to the ring, and it is unsigned. It currently wears at a US 9.5; because of the enamel at the shoulders, any further sizing should be done by a jeweler experienced with antique enamel work.

Era: Victorian, circa 1830–1870
Materials: 14k yellow gold, black enamel
Stone: half pearl, 1.3 mm, star set
Markings: none
Dimensions: 6.0 mm at the face, tapering to 1.8 mm
Weight: 1.9 grams
Ring Size: US 9.5 (inquire about sizing)
Condition: Original enamel and pearl; previously sized with a partial reshank

See it in person at 3 Water Street in Historic Downtown Mystic, or write to hello@petrastar.com for more photos or a video.