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