Featured 15kt Gold & Sapphire Band Ring

Traditionally there weren't many Romani (etc) goldsmiths in Europe. They were mainly found in Romania among enslaved Rom who were given the collective name Aurari. All Romanian enslaved Rom groups were called after the trade or craft they had to perform or do.

The story of Gypsy set rings is that they were called Gypsy set because non-Gypsies travelling in 19th century Britain were scared to have their gems snatched from their rings by Gypsies, so they had them set deeply. Whether that is true, I don't know. Snatching a stone from a ring doesn't sound plausible to me. Or it was simply due to the usual irrational fear.

In some other countries, Gypsy jewellery is the kind of jewellery Romani wear, but rarely made by Romani.

Wonderful!
The beads were probably not broken, but worn through daily wear over a long period. If you look closely at the photo, you can see that they were indeed worn, especially the one on the side of the other ring. I'm glad you found the stone.

I was told to check regularly worn prong or bead-set rings, because those tiny prongs or beads are subject to wear. Look at them through a loupe, if you wear them daily or regularly.

 

I asked him about the stone, and he said: "If you'd lost it, you wouldn't want to hear what I have to say. Finding another stone is easy!...Maybe. But finding one the right size? Almost impossible. You'd have to get another stone and cut it down TO the right size...and that costs money - both to find the stone, and then to cut the stone...and then to rebuild the mounting to HOLD the stone...it all adds up...so you finding the stone saved you a LOT of money!!"

I'm going over to pick it up tomorrow.

I HAD planned JUST to pick up the ring...but...fate had other ideas.

I picked up a neat little 18kt gold ring at the flea-market today - really really cheap!!

It was only after I got home I realised WHY it was so cheap - the damn thing's cracked in half!

I'll have to take it to my guy to get him to solder it back together.

 

What size is the stone?

 

I dunno. I never measured it. Maybe 2-3mm across?