For this assignment, I have decided to describe my maternal grandmother’s engagement ring (image 1 and 2), which she randomly gifted me recently.

The ring is most likely from the 1950s, however I am unsure of its exact age but this is an approximation based on the information that I do know. The ring itself is a little bit smaller than the size of a quarter (Image 1) with the diamond being smaller than a pencil eraser. The ring has two separately twisted pieces of gold metal making up the band. I am unsure of what the band is made of, but upon closer inspection of the ring it looks like there is a “14k” engraved on the bottom of the inside of the band (Image 2) , which is most likely an indication that the band is 14 karat gold. 

Like previously mentioned, the band has two separate twisted pieces of metal that stay together along the sides and the bottom of the ring, but as the twisted pieces continue towards the top of the ring they begin to separate allowing for the diamond to be placed right in the center (Image 4). The twist in the band can be compared to when you twist a piece of yarn between your fingers, not two pieces being twisted together, but just one to give off the illusion that there is more than one piece being twisted. While the whole band is made up of these twists, the bottom of the ring includes a small section where the band flattens out (Image 3), which is either an indication of wear and tear or something that just happened in the production process. 

The color of the band is a light gold color that is very similar to the color of the chairs in Element 93 or, to provide a more widely known comparison, it is an almost pale yellow tan color with darker sections where the twists in the metal are.

The diamond itself is about less than half the size of a mechanical pencil eraser, allowing it to fit in-between the two sections of twisted metal perfectly. The diamond itself is not placed directly between the two sections, instead it is slightly risen above the band (Image 4). While the diamond lacks any sparkle out of direct light, it sparkles more when is placed in direct light and comes alive, allowing for the simple beauty of the piece to show. 

While the reason for my grandma’s gifting of her engagement ring is unknown, the family history behind the piece is significant. The ring was given to my grandma by my grandpa during their engagement. While the beginning of their marriage was good, as time went on the love in the marriage began to dissolve, and this unhappiness of course led to a divorce. After time went on both my grandma and grandpa got remarried to better people who fit each of them better. So while the ring is connected to a mixture of unhappy and happy memories attributed to a failed marriage, the ring meant enough to my grandma that she wanted to gift it to me rather than sell it.