1823 French Gimmel ring

Gimmel ring, is a ring with two or three hoops or links that fit together to form one complete ring. The name gimmal comes from Latin gemellus, twin, via Old French. They were also known as joint rings.

Gimmel rings are widely worn as wedding rings during 17-19th century, often featuring the names of a wedded husband and wife that’s hidden in the ring profile-only to reveal when the puzzle is opened-very intimate and romantic.

The faceted gimmel ring we have today inscribed on one hoop, «Philippe Durville 12 fevrier 1823»; the other «Crespin à Augustine», meaning this ring is given to Augustine by Crespin. The other name is unknown-maybe he is the original owner of the ring? Or maybe he is the witness of this couple ? Possibilities are many, as it’s common that gimmel rings are past down among generations in the family.

What we can also know from the ring is it is made at the beginning of 19th century (or even older). On the ring surface there’s a very clear ram’s head control mark (for 18k solid gold) which is only used during 1819-1838.

As the assessment of an item's condition is highly subjective, please click and enlarge our photos to examine more detailed condition highlights for your judgment.

The ring cannot be resized due to its special mechanism.