Few motifs have been worn for as long as the snake. It coils through Roman gold, Georgian mourning jewellery, Victorian love tokens and Edwardian rings, and it is just as sought after today. Here is how the serpent came to be one of the great symbols of jewellery.
Ancient Rome: protection and healing
Snake rings and bracelets were hugely popular in antiquity. They were worn for protection against evil and to promote fertility, and the snake was linked with Asclepius, the god of healing, who is shown with a serpent coiled around his staff. Rings and bracelets with two snake heads facing each other have been found in Egypt and Italy, including at Pompeii, and examples can be seen in the British Museum, the Louvre and the Archaeological Museum of Naples.
Snakes also appear in ancient jewellery in less obvious ways. Medusa, the Gorgon with living snakes for hair, was carved onto Roman cameos as a protective amulet; our ancient Roman Medusa cameo ring is a tiny example from the 2nd to 3rd century AD.
The ouroboros and eternity
The image of a snake swallowing its own tail, the ouroboros, comes from ancient Egypt and came to stand for eternity: a circle without beginning or end. Archaeological discoveries in the 18th and 19th centuries revived fascination with these ancient forms, and Georgian and Victorian jewellers took them up enthusiastically, often in mourning jewellery, where eternity had obvious meaning.
Queen Victoria's engagement ring
The snake's great moment came in 1839, when Prince Albert gave the young Queen Victoria an engagement ring in the form of a serpent set with an emerald, her birthstone. From then on the snake meant eternal love, loyalty and protection, and snake rings became one of the defining jewels of the Victorian age. They remained fashionable well into the Edwardian period.
Styles to look for
- Coiled serpents, the body wrapping the finger in several bands, the head set with a gem.
- Jewelled heads, often with an old cut diamond on the crown and garnet or ruby eyes.
- Snakes holding a stone, such as a turquoise "egg", a nod to the cosmic egg found in many cultures' creation myths.
- Enamelled snakes, where blue or green enamel imitates scales.
- Double-headed snakes, modelled on Roman rings.
What to check when buying
Look at the head closely: the engraving of scales and eyes is where quality shows. Check the stones are original or honestly described, and look for hallmarks or import marks; many Victorian snake rings were made in France or Germany. Finally, consider wear. A snake ring with a low, smooth head sits flat on the finger and can be worn every day.
Available now
- Edwardian sapphire and diamond snake ring, 18ct gold, hallmarked London 1902
- Edwardian diamond snake ring, 18ct gold, hallmarked Chester 1913
- Antique French snake bangle in 18ct gold with spinel and seed pearls, about 1880
- Vintage French snake ring, 18ct gold, Paris, 1960s
Snake rings sell quickly, so join our mailing list to see new ones first, or browse all antique snake rings.