England, circa 1590 – 1630
Gold (approximately 20.07 karats)
This substantial antique low dome posy ring is crafted in high purity gold of approximately 20.07 karats. Finely engraved in elegant italic script on the interior is the inscription: “Vertu passeth riches.”
Rings bearing such inscriptions are known as posy rings, from the French poésie, meaning “poetry.” These sentimental jewels were exchanged as tokens of affection, friendship, or faith. The inscriptions – typically brief verses or moral maxims – were often drawn from popular collections of sayings circulated among goldsmiths and customers during the 16th and 17th centuries.
This example is distinguished not only by the refined quality of its engraving but also by its notably heavy weight, exceeding that of most surviving 17th-century rings of comparable type.
Condition: Excellent, with no rim bruises, dents, or signs of deformation.
Metal Analysis: 83.66% gold, 8.98% silver, 7.36% copper.
Technical Note: The gold purity (83.66%, c. 20 karats) aligns closely with that of the majority of jewels from the late 16th–early 17th centuries discovered in the Cheapside Hoard (City of London, 1912), approximately seventy of which were recorded at around 83% gold content.
Weight is 10.37 grams
Width is 6 mm (1/4 in.)
Ring size 8.5 (19 mm) resizable
