EUROPEAN BETROTHAL RING 16TH-17TH CENTURY, SIZE 3 1/4

During the Renaissance, the act of committing to marriage took place as a formal ceremony with vows, considered sacred and unbreakable, exchanged. A ring was given by the man to the woman to bind the pledge and worn until the marriage. That practice is believed to derive from the custom of providing a bride’s price or dowry. This example is size 3 1/4 with a circular bezel flanked by an arrangement of 3 small bosses in foliage, on each side. Fine quality and crisply detailed indicating that it was made for a young person who perished soon after the betrothal. The 24karat gold surface is restored and is gift boxed with a certificate of authenticity.