Featured My grandfather's class ring.

My maternal grandfather, Carl Conard Timmons (1889 - 1953), practiced medicine in Edgefield, SC, and Augusta, GA. He graduated from the Medical College of Georgia in 1915, and I recently was given his class ring.

10k, small enough to fit my left pinky finger, and missing one of the stones that were set in the eye sockets. His initials are engraved inside. According to "Historical Highlights of the Medical College of Georgia", published by the University of Augusta, "The earliest class ring with the skull and crossbones representing MCG belongs to H.G. Weaver, class of 1920." So, it seems I have one even older!

Of interest is the fact that he was born with no fingers on his right hand. According to the family oral history, when his mother was pregnant with him, a worker on the family farm lost the fingers of his right hand in a sawmill accident. My great-grandmother wrapped the injury in her apron to stanch the loss of blood, and when my grandfather was born, he had scars on his right hand, and no fingers, only a thumb. His granny taught him to darn socks at a young age, and he grew up to be a gifted surgeon.

Any idea what the stone in the eye socket could be?

 

Cool ring,a bit weird but interesting family story. But very well
done to him for ‘over coming’ and having the strength of character to still become a gifted surgeon (that’s truly amazing,particularly in that day and age) I don’t know about the stone but I’ll put little rubies (for the cool effect )

 

Little rubies may well be what they were. Lab grown red corundum, i.e., ruby, was already being produced & used for watch bearings.

 

if it's 5 years earlier than what they have...u just know they'll want it !

10 k seems a little ...lite....for a grad ring ..??

 

I have some ring gauges somewhere. I'll measure it for size, and weigh it.
It is rather tiny for a man's ring by today's standards, but maybe that was more the style then?

 

Amazing story, Frank, and great that you have the ring.

The one that is left has a faint reddish glow in the photos, so it could be a ruby or maybe garnet, because it is quite dark.

In those days signet rings were usually worn on the pinky finger, so maybe these were too. We don't have class rings in Europe, so I wouldn't know.

 

On second look, does it still have a faceted blue stone in one eye socket? The color I think I'm seeing looks a lot like blue topaz. However, these days that shade of blue is achieved through heat treatment; not sure it was around when this ring was made. I wouldn't rule out glass.

AJ weighed in while I've been typing. Sounds like she sees the other eye as still having a stone. On my screen that side just looks very dark, can't tell what is or isn't there.

Pinkie rings have been the style for men, in the US anyway, for a long time. A man with only 4 fingers & 2 thumbs who works with his hands might make different choices about rings, but this looks like it has had the frequent bashing pinkie rings get. I would guess he wore it with the skull facing away from him.

 

The skull's right eye (left to us) still has a small cab in it. It looks dark red to me, but it could be the photo.

 

Is it just my eyes? I see a silver ring with gold overlay.

 

I also see a gilded silver ring, but was wondering if it is some kind of reflection, because Frank said it is 10k gold.

 

I misread photos all the time. Couldn't decide what I was seeing, but do see what could be a small cab, deep in skull's right eye socket.

 

Same as AJ. Appearance in pix says plated, but Frank says 10k...

 

Frank, do you believe this story? It's very creative.

 

I have no reason not to believe this story. Perhaps, medically, it was merely a coincidence, but the fact remains that he was born with no fingers on his right hand, and he was a surgeon.
I also have a Winchester "Thumb Trigger" .22 rifle that belonged to him.

 

Now , that's cool !!!

 

It's an odd story to say the least. I'd say the missing stone is a synthetic ruby too, or maybe a garnet.

 

I'd say ruby......of some sort

 

I'm thinking of seeing what it would take to replace the missing stone, or both. Of course I may just leave it alone.

 

It's not really that pricey, especially if you do a lab created stone. I would only repair it if I was going to wear it though. And it's quite cool looking to wear!

 

Like all stories that our forebears told, you have to take it with a grain of salt. My curiosity regards the story that MD means Medical Doctor. It's a very odd ring for a college. The skull and crossbones is also odd.