Gold Navaratna Ring with Precious & Semi-Precious Stones, India, 17th century

Gold Navaratna Ring with Precious & Semi-Precious Stones

overall diameter: 2.4cm, weight: 5.9g, ring size: 9.25 (US), S (UK)This beautiful and highly wearable talismanic finger ring comprises a scalloped gold band set with the navaratna stones in kundan settings. Additionally, the band or hoop has been set with pairs of tiny ruby cabochons and a pair of small turquoise cabochons. The stones are set all the way around the ring.

Among the stones are a yellow topaz to represent Jupiter, a ruby to represent the sun, a coral to represent Mars, a pearl to represent the moon, and a sapphire to represent Saturn.

Untracht (1997, p. 309) says that in Dravidian south India, the

navaratna gemstones are used as a rosary but elsewhere in India, they are used as a talismanic device. The nine gems have multiple meanings and associations. One is that each gem represents the nine celestial Hindu deities and the nine ‘planets’ . According to Untracht, rings set with the navaratna stones are a ‘much favoured ornament’ in India.

The correct construction of a

navaratna ring could take a very long time. Says Untracht (p. 309): ‘Before commissioning such a ring from a goldsmith, one first brings the selected stones to a priest, who blesses them. At an auspicious time, they are then given to a goldsmith who will set thing in high-quality gold (22 karat). According to orthodox practice, when the gold setting is ready, each of the stones corresponding to a planet is set in the correct order of priority and position, at a time auspicious for the planet. If this procedure is followed, the process might take more than a year to complete.’

The ring is stable and ready to be worn. The patina and styling suggest an 18th century dating and possibly earlier.