Victorian 9ct Gold Signet Ring Set With A Carnelian With Intaglio Of Two Cross Keys

An attractive 9ct37.5% pure gold (or 375 parts pure gold and 625 parts other metals) gold signet ringA ring with a central plaque on which one’s initials, a seal, or a crest is engraved. that was made circa 1890. It has been set with a carnelian​A translucent red variety of chalcedony which in its turn is a form of cryptocrystalline quartz. ​Carnelian has​ been known and used since antiquity when it was sourced from the surfaces of the Egyptian and Arabian deserts. The ​most prized carnelian has a true blood-red color. which is a type of agateA variety of cryptocrystalline quartz (chalcedony), typically banded in appearance. The use of agate in jewellery dates back to the Stone Age.. It has been engraved with an intaglioAn engraved stone, the opposite of a cameo, with a recessed design cut below the surface of the stone. Intaglio designs are common for signet rings and fob seals. of two cross keys. “The Keys of Heaven” refers to the image of crossed keys used in ecclesiastical heraldry, to represent the metaphorical keys of the office of Saint Peter. The key symbol means so many other things too. It can be a symbol of personal knowledge, a key to unlock inner strength and contentment. It can also symbolise virginity and virtue, two very important concepts in medieval and Early Modern times.