Posted 13 years ago
marcobabe13
(86 items)
One Christmas my aunt gave me this beautiful opal and ruby ring. She told me she was giving it to me because ruby is my birthstone. I’ve been wearing it for the past fifteen years and always get compliments. Recently I noticed an engraving on the inside which says G J. Not knowing much about jewelry, I did some research and of course found most of the information I needed on Collectors Weekly! Thinking it was a Georg Jensen, I tried to find the Hallmark online to determine when it was made and who the designer might be. My searches were unsuccessful so I wrote a gentleman online (his last name was Jensen by the way) and he so kindly replied that my "ring was not a Jensen, but it is most beautiful." Of course I was disappointed, but I learned a valuable lesson. The good news: I had the ring appraised many years ago and the opal and the rubies are of fine quality so all is not lost. In addition, I have a ring that was given to me by my aunt, who passed away in 2010 at the age of 103!
Very nice keepsake! Maybe you'll take after your aunt and live to be 103 also.:-)
Thank you officialfuel, it is a wonderful keepsake. As to your second comment, all I can say is---good grief I hope not!
good morning marcobabe13,I wanted to thank you for loving my sapphire ring,I love your opal and ruby as well.What do you think about the old superstition that it is unlucky to buy an opal for yourself?Someone told me this many years ago,just curious if anyone else has been told that also.
Thanks, Dottie, and I have never heard of the superstition that it is unlucky to buy an opal for yourself. Nonetheless, I'm glad this ring was given to me!!
Lovely old ring! Looks Edwardian. 375 stands for 9 Karat Gold. Looks like the Crown Mark for Sheffield England. The last 2 marks include a date letter (last mark), which I am finding hard to read. A "p"? There are tables with Date Letters online, so you can probably find the exact year with a bit of sleuthing.
Thank you for the information, vintagelove.
Hi from Sydney Australia!
I'd like to suggest an alternative reading of these marks:
The crown and 375 is English 9 carat.
The anchor is Birmingham and the 'p' is 1914.
So far, I have not been able to track down the GJ maker's mark for you.
Opals are Australian gemstones and interest me.
By the way, the stones are subject to drying out and can crack. For this reason they are viewed as being "unlucky". I'd do some research on how to care for the opal.
I've done some additional research on this ring. I've cleaned it up and added another posting of the hallmark. You're correct, vetraio50, the anchor is Birmingham, but because the anchor is laying down, it's dated between 1875-1899. I believe that dates the p as 1889. I've been unable to track down the GJ maker. Thanks for your help and for your advise on caring for my opal ring.
I had a better look at the new photo. I'll still go for 1914. The 1889 'p' should be in an oval. The 1914 is a small 'p' in a squarish box, 1939 is a capital 'p' in the same square box. The laying down of the anchor is not important, it's more to do with the size of the item being marked....it being a longer rectangle. The stamp is moved around 90 degrees to fit. However I still am not so sure about that 'P' or 'p' - 1914 or 1939. The maker's mark still defeats me. It could be a maker with offices in more than one city eg London & Birmingham. Some of the makers had multiple sales points and manufacturing sites.
But that GJ combination is tempting.....it's not George Jamieson, nor is it George Maudsley Jackson. Wrong cities, wrong time. Keep at it!
Thanks, vetraio50, I'm learning a lot from you about ring hallmarks and dating this ring. I'm sure you are correct! I'll always treasure the ring no matter the age. However, this research business can be addictive......
Show & Tell is a long-term vehicle for learning in a class-room. The classroom walls have been extended and we all learn more in the process. Bring it on!
I have recently received a ring which is very similar to this design, including the rubies and opal Stone and the exact same G.J Hallmark and was wondering myself where it had come from only to come across your ring! I have posted a picture of it to my collection.