Omani Part-Gilded Silver Ring (al-Hysa)

This very attractive ring is of solid silver. The face or bezel is square and chased. Five small gilded (gold-plated) plaques have been applied to the bezel in a chequer-board design. The wear to the gilding has softened the gold colour so that it has a pleasing hue and contrasts well with the silver of the rest of the ring. The process of part-gilding was known in northern Oman as rishsh.

Traditionally, this ring was worn by a woman on her middle finger (although some sources say it was also worn on the ‘ring’ finger next to the little finger) and is known as an al-hysa ring.

The applied cold plaques suggest it was made in Nizwa, Oman’s old capital in the interior.

It is stable and very wearable.