made in Moscow during the World War I, circa 1914

The ring is said to be given by the Russian Empress Alexandra Feodorovna (consort of Tsar Nicholas II)

to an officer of the 5th Alexandrian Hussar Regiment of Her Majesty Empress Alexandra Feodorovna.

Empress Alexandra was the Honorary Colonel of the Regiment.

The skull and crossbones emblem was officially confirmed by Tsar Nicholas II on October 1, 1913 (“all black with a silver Adam’s head”)

as the badge of the Alexandrian hussars.

The emblem was considered as a symbol of immortality, rather than a symbol of death.

The skull and cross-bones are crafted in silver (over gold) and densely set with 58 old mine and old rose cut diamonds.

Dimensions of the skull 16 x 16 mm (5/8 x 5/8 in.)

Ring size 7 (17 mm) sizable

Marked with 56 zolotnik old Russian gold standard (14K) with a symbol of Moscow assay office and a set of later Soviet control and repair marks from the 1930s:

583 gold standard, 875 silver standard and two marks stamped by a state owned repair shop (the ring has been sized)

Badge and uniform of the Alexandrian hussars