Tibetan Hair Ornament

Silver & Turquoise Ring

of bezel: 4.2cm, thickness of ring: 4cm, weight: 60g

This heavy ring of thick sheet silver with applied silver filigree and silver rope-work has an elaborate and large bezel which incorporates a single cabochon turquoise contained within a raised box setting.

Rings such as these were worn by men, either as thumb rings but also in the hair.

This example has an excellent patina through wear and clear and obvious age. Definitely from the Himalayan region, it most probably is from Tibet and/or Ladakh.

It is a fine, unusual piece, and is unexpectedly heavy in the hand.

Clarke, J., Jewellery of Tibet and the Himalayas, V&A Publications, 2004.

from a UK collection