Author: gxeniya

After losing power and being exiled first to Elba and then to Saint Helena, Napoleon Bonaparte retained a loyal following, but they were forced to keep their loyalty secret. Such “fidelity” rings were created so that the wearer could occasionally demonstrate their political allegiance. The gold ring was worn with its portrait facing the finger, […]

Precious Orders and Medals The Order of Jehovah was established in 1606 by King Charles IX of Sweden, whose motto was the Latin phrase: Jehovah solatium meum. “Jehovah is my Comforter.” This was the official motto of King Charles IX of Sweden. It was written in Latin: “Iehovah solatium meum.” Charles IX belonged to one […]

Precious Headwear Garrard & Co Arthur Wesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, the most decorated English commander and victor of the Battle of Waterloo, designed not only battle plans but also jewelry. It is known that he designed the gilt silver coronet (a type of diadem) featured at the Sotheby’s exhibition. The inscription engraved on the […]

Knights Templar rings are one of the most famous symbols of medieval Europe, associated with the Knights Templar. The Order was formed in the 12th century during the Crusades and wielded enormous power and wealth. Knights’ rings became one of the most important symbols of membership in this order. The symbolism of the Knights Templar […]

A lovely piece of interior decoration, isn’t it? And what a meaningful one! It’s quite touching to place such a tree on your desk, chest of drawers, or bookshelf. Family tree with portraits of the royal members of the House of Habsburg by Christoph Dorsch This intricately branched golden tree with 16 medallions forms a […]

Jewelry with a History A gold ring, known as the Ring of the Grieving Mother, was discovered during excavation work on private property on the outskirts of Rome in 2000. Workers accidentally discovered a rich tomb. The burial was dated to the early first century CE. Upon gaining access, archaeologists discovered two enormous, richly decorated […]

The “shackles” of the Decembrists After the events of December 14, 1825, the participants in the uprising, sentenced to hard labor, were kept in shackles to further humiliate them—from the trial itself until 1829, when the Tsar allowed the shackles to be removed. Some Decembrists wore shackles only on their hands, while others, deemed the […]

The History of Engagement and Wedding Rings Sometimes archaeologists are lucky enough to stumble upon a find so unique that historians can’t immediately offer a convincing explanation. This time, it’s a gold love ring discovered in 2019 in Utrecht (central Netherlands) and dating from 1375 to 1550. Such rings were typically used as wedding or […]

An extraordinary gold ring with a cameo belonged to Pope Gregory XIII. Judging by surviving portraits of Pope Gregory XIII, he was a great lover of rings and wore many others in addition to his official papal ring. This ring was custom-made for the Pope by the renowned jeweler Giacomo Anfossi, who began working for […]