Inspired by ancient rings that graced the hands of Roman Empresses, this is a piece to be treasured for decades and passed down through the centuries. A detailed braided solid gold band encircles your finger, displaying a substantial cornflower blue sapphire in a handcrafted bezel setting. This setting is the same used by ancient goldsmiths from the earliest known periods of history. In the ancient world, sapphires were stones of the heavens, their deep blue believed to mirror the sky itself. Long before the mines of Sri Lanka and Kashmir became legendary, sapphires surfaced in the riverbeds of South and Southeast Asia, where they were regarded as sacred—fragments of the cosmos made solid. The ancient Persians believed the earth rested upon a giant sapphire, and that its reflection gave the sky its color. So revered were these celestial stones that they adorned the rings of kings and clergy alike, worn as seals of divine authority and symbols of wisdom. The most prized among them—the cornflower blue—carried a soft, velvety intensity unlike any other gem, a color ancient cultures associated with truth and the eternal. Pliny the Elder placed the sapphire among the most esteemed of gems, and in medieval tradition it was called the "gem of gems," believed to preserve the honor of its wearer. The Ancient Heirloom Ring is crafted in 100% recycled 14k or 18k solid gold. Each piece is made to order for you in our NYC studio and takes roughly 3 weeks to ship.
