Siam Princely Ruby and Diamond Ring

A rare 19th century princely gold cluster ring made in Siam (Thailand), circa 1860.This gorgeous ruby and diamond ring was intricately crafted in high-karat gold, by the goldsmiths of the royal Siam court in the 19th century.

It is a fine example of the lavish adornment worn by participants in royal and aristocratic life-cycle ceremonies in the courts of Bangkok. Aside from ceremonial use, they were also occasionally given as gifts to important visitors or other aristocratic families.

There was a huge expansion in the number of royals in 19th century Siam which stemmed from Kings Mongkut (Rama IV) and Chulalongkorn (Rama V) being highly polygamous. They had a joint total of 124 wives and 159 royal children, each requiring their own ceremonial regalia and princely jewels. As a result, Bangkok became home to some incredibly skilled goldsmiths in this period and the sheer number of jewellery required has meant that today princely jewels like this one can very occasionally be found in the open market, particularly in Europe following the relocation of the Thai royal family to Switzerland and France in the 1930’s and 1940’s.

The ring features a row of cabochon rubies horizontally aligned, surrounded by a sea of rose cut diamonds. All of the stones are in rubover settings within a web of hexagonal honeycomb frames. The band is decorated with pierced and deeply chased scrollwork motifs, typical of Siam jewellery. There is evidence of a historic resizing at the back of the shank. The thick gold band also features French gold import marks from when it was later brought into the country.

The ring is in fantastic condition despite its significant age. Upon loupe magnification, there is evidence of a historic resizing at the back of the band.It tests as solid 22K gold and weighs a good 9.56 grams in total. The ring measures 10mm north to south at the front, and 4mm at the back.

Size: UK size K 1/2, US size 5.5

暹罗（即今日的泰国）的金匠打造出亚洲最具特色的一些珠宝。这些作品为曼谷的王室宫廷和贵族阶层而制，在典礼上佩戴；整个 19 世纪，它们也作为礼物在贵族家庭间互赠，并献给重要来宾和外国使节。

暹罗珠宝以高 K 金打造，常饰以浓郁的红、绿珐琅，繁复的花枝纹样遍布背面并环绕整个戒圈。宝石以暹罗独有的高耸尖爪镶固定，赋予每枚戒指雕塑般乃至建筑般的存在感。红宝石、蓝宝石和钻石最受青睐；最精美的作品，如层叠式蒙多普戒指，是已然消逝的宫廷文化中罕见的遗珍。

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