SELJUK GOLD RING WITH LARGE BLUE SAPPHIRE AND KUFIC INSCRIPTION

Ca. 1100-1200 AD. A gold ring with a stirrup profile, and a thin hoop expanding to form a bezel, is both elegant and distinctive. The bezel, set with a mesmerizing blue gem, draws the eye with its radiance and depth, seeming to hold within it secrets and mysteries. The ring's shoulders, delicately incised with Kufic inscriptions, lend the ring a sense of timeless grace and beauty. They provide a subtle, yet striking, counterpoint to the bold and lustrous gemstone, creating a harmonious and balanced whole. This Seljuk gold ring is a remarkable example of the Seljuk era's mastery of goldsmithing and jewellery-making. During this period, gold was prized for its rarity and beauty, and jewellery was often used to convey messages of wealth, status, and power. Seljuk gold jewellery was renowned for its intricate patterns, exquisite craftsmanship, and the use of precious gemstones, making it some of the most sought-after jewellery in the Islamic world. Stone is replaced. Size: D: 14.15mm / US: 3 1/8 / UK: F 1/2; 2.34gProvenance: Property of a London Islamic art specialist collector; previously in a collection formed since the 1980s.