I last published a post on snake jewellery in June this year and I thought it would be at least a year before I would have more to talk about. However, it has been a long few months as Melbourne endured its sixth lockdown since the pandemic began, Some auction houses make it very easy to buy through them online so I have more snakes, four rings. Surprisingly, the rings are not all variations of the one theme but show off the idea and form of a snake differently.
The first ring is the classic late Victorian snake ring with three coils of gold snake wrapping around the finger and with the head sitting on top of the coils. The snake has small diamond eyes. I have and have had various renditions of this style of snake ring and they all appeal to me. Some have two heads, different coloured gems for eyes or crest, two coils or four coils. A classic style.
The ring pictured at the top of the post is quite different. A garnet cabochon is set in a collet with a small snake forming the band and resting its head on the top of the garnet. It has garnet eyes as well.
The next ring is vintage, and quite delicate looking. It has a thin gold band which coils around the finger twice, finishing with a snake shaped head set with an opaque gemstone. It looks like a turquoise at first but it is a larimar, a variety of the pectilite family. Larimar comes only from the Dominican Republic and has only been commercially available since the 1970s.
The final ring is much chunky than the larimar ring. It is gold with one textured coil which wraps around the finger. The head, with is set with emerald eyes, lies along the top of the finger.
So there you have it, four more snake rings but all quite different in appearance. And I know there are many more out there for me to find.
navette jewellery 