Early Victorian 18K Gold Touchstone Gold Testing Ring

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An early Victorian-era rectangular and faceted black stone ring, set in gold. The ring dates to the 1840s and is a rare find, with a nice history behind it. This ring could have be en owned by a merchant, and most likely was used as a gold-testing stone or touchstone. A touchstone is a piece of fine-grained dark schist or jasper formerly used for testing alloys of gold by observing the color of the mark which they made on it. This black stone is a table cut, which made the stone functional with a smooth surface on top for gold testing. The black stone has some wear, as it was not only a fine piece of jewelry but also once a very useful ring. The gold content of the ring is 18 karats; it is not marked but has been acid tested. The yellow gold contrasts nicely against the deep black color of the stone. The ring has an oval hoop shank design and the stone is approximately 1.3 cm in size. The ring is a size 8. A perfect ring for a man or woman, and a rare find! Makes a great addition to an antique collection. This is a very rare ring and a beautiful conversation piece. Show more