I have written before about my love of snake jewellery. I find that the way a ring, bracelet or necklace shaped like a snake coils around a finger, neck or wrist is quite beautiful. I have acquired some more snake rings in 2022 so thought I would show them off and also examine whether or not the design of the snake ring has changed over the last 100 or so years.
The double headed snake ring with sapphire and ruby crests pictured below is late Victorian. It is hard to distinguish between it and the snake ring set with garnets at the top of the post below, which was made in 1980. The Victorian ring is finer in detail but the oval concept and style of the two rings is quite similar. The back of the gemstones in the Victorian ring are closed, but are open at the back in the modern ring.
The silver gilt snake ring below is a different style but reminds me of the ouroboros rings from the Roman period. The snake is biting its own tail, representing eternity and a never-ending cycle. The outside of the ring is beautifully marked to represent scales. It is hard to date.
The snake ring below, set with a diamond, emerald, ruby and sapphire, has quite a modern look. It is streamlined and smooth but still clearly represents a snake.
The final ring was made in 1989 and, again, is a simpler style when compared to the two headed snake rings above. The back of the garnet cabochon is open and the coils of the snake are just touching. It has a more relaxed feel.
navette jewellery 