Georgian Halley's Comet Ring
Cool antique ring set with a Georgian intaglio depicting the famous astronomer Edmond Halley, who first predicted the return of the eponymous Halley's comet in 1759. By studying the records of comet sightings between 1531 and 1682, he noticed that a, exceptionally bright one seemed to crop up every 75-79 years, and correctly deduced that it was likely the same object with a long solar orbit. The last sighting had been in 1682, witnessed by a young Halley himself, so he told the world that it would be back in 1759 (but sadly didn't live to see his prediction ring true). The last appearance was in 1986 (the worst viewing from Earth in over 2000 years though, as it was on the opposite side of the sun to us), which means we'll have to wait until 2061 for its next apparition. For some reason, Halley is often referred to as Sir, however he was never actually knighted. Halley also mapped and catalogues the southern celestial hemisphere from an observatory he built on Saint Helena, and realised that by tracking Venus as it moved across the sun (a solar transit), he would be able to determine the distances between the three celestial bodies: Earth, Venus, and the Sun.
This ring, dating from the early 20th century, was made to house an earlier intaglio carved in the classical style. Halley is depicted as a young man, the famous comet featured behind his head. Crafted in 18ct gold.
Era: Carnelian seal, circa 1835. Ring mount, circa 1920
Head size: 2.3cm by 1.7cm
Ring size: N 1/2 or 7 US. Resizable for £35
Stone: Carnelian panel
Marks: English hallmarks, London, mostly rubbed/obscured
Condition: Great antique condition. Light wear commensurate with age
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Gemstones are tested by an accredited gemmologist (Cert GA, Gemmological Association of Great Britain)
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Resizing
Ring sizing is available on most rings
£35 flat fee
Resizing takes 7-14 days
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Note: sizing may remove some of the patina (although we take every care to reduce this where possible)
Layaway
A 25% deposit will be taken to secure the item. The remaining balance will be settled in 90 days. You can pay installments weekly, monthly, or the full balance at the end - whatever works.
Condition
We offer detailed and accurate condition reports on each listing. These pieces are antique, vintage, or pre-loved, often over 100 years old so they're going to have lived a life. A healthy patina and the odd scuff/scrape are quite normal... it's part of their charm! Everything we present has been checked over by our jeweller and should be good for wear for many years to come (unless otherwise stated) but please remember to treat them with appropriate care and consideration for their age.
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