Can I get some help identifying this ring?

[CuriousAboutMyRing]

So my father comes to me the other day and hands me this ring (provided pictures below) and says "This was your grandfather's father's ring" (I am 26 currently) and asks me to find out about it. Well, I tried to research up on it but with no luck. The ring has two marks on either side of the square cameo which somewhat reminds me of a Freemason symbol (only because I know my grandfather is), yet it's not quite right. The Cameo, with a cut through the middle, SEEMS to be topaz, but I can be highly mistaken. It's tough to judge only because it's a little cloudy (and aged), that it almost gives the appearance of wood in a way. there is no marks on the inside of the ring, but may have only because the one symbol on the side is slightly worn away (I would assume this guy wore it on his left pinky) and the outside symbol wasn't touched at all and anything on the inside may have been worn away. I don't really think this ring is that important. I think the metal is copper.

I have provided you two photos. Can anyone help me out?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/106114727@N08/

 

[Hera]

I don't have much for you except that the ring looks like a style from the Art Deco Period. It's fun to get heirlooms!

 

[Hera]

I just saw this and it reminded me of your ring! (Now, I'm wondering if I'm wrong in the era of your ring.)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/UNIQUE-ANTIQUE-CARVED-DETAIL-ROMAN-HEAD-CATS-EYE-VICTORIAN-ROSE-YELLOW-GOLD-RING-/171155373453?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27d9a7bd8d

 

[arkieb1]

I don't believe it is Art Deco it doesn't look like an Art Deco piece in any way shape or form. Look on ebay and google tiger eye (which is what I believe it is made of) cameo ring and you should find a number of examples like this search;

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR2.TRC0.A0.Xtiger+eye+cameo+ring&_nkw=tiger+eye+cameo+ring&_sacat=0&_from=R40

There were a number of rings like this made in the Victorian period, they have a variety of faces on them ranging from Greek and Roman Gods and Goddesses to English kings and heros & gladiators, to Victorian ladies looking virtuous..... In this case I'd guess she is either greek or roman and represents something like justice, liberty (like the statue of liberty) virtue, honesty or something like that which would tie into the creed of the masons (or whoever) he belonged to.

These guys sometimes have them for sale as well, search under cameo rings for men.

http://www.langantiques.com/search/quick-search

 

[Hera]

I don't believe it is Art Deco it doesn't look like an Art Deco piece in any way shape or form. Look on ebay and google tiger eye (which is what I believe it is made of) cameo ring and you should find a number of examples like this search;

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR2.TRC0.A0.Xtiger+eye+cameo+ring&_nkw=tiger+eye+cameo+ring&_sacat=0&_from=R40

There were a number of rings like this made in the Victorian period, they have a variety of faces on them ranging from Greek and Roman Gods and Goddesses to English kings and heros & gladiators, to Victorian ladies looking virtuous..... In this case I'd guess she is either greek or roman and represents something like justice, liberty (like the statue of liberty) virtue, honesty or something like that which would tie into the creed of the masons (or whoever) he belonged to.

These guys sometimes have them for sale as well, search under cameo rings for men.

http://www.langantiques.com/search/quick-search

I've seen that side detail on Art Deco rings before so I don't think it's WAY out of line. Still, I can see I was wrong in this case.

Curious, have you had the metal tested? It might be neat if it turned out to be rose gold. I don't know if that's consistent with the era, though. I'm not that familiar with Victorian jewelry.

 

[CuriousAboutMyRing]

I want to thank ALL of you. I honestly had THE hardest time trying to find anything even close to this type of ring. I greatly appreciate what you have found. No, I have not had the ring tested, I'm just using the internet, solely to compare.

 

[minousbijoux]

So it is thought that the part that CAMR thought looked like wood is in fact tiger's eye? It does seem like that was a material that was often used for cameo-type/intaglia-style rings.

CAMR: I love your ring - quite handsome!

 

[arkieb1]

So it is thought that the part that CAMR thought looked like wood is in fact tiger's eye? It does seem like that was a material that was often used for cameo-type/intaglia-style rings.

CAMR: I love your ring - quite handsome!

Yes, I believe it is, the golden sheen coming off it makes it look like Tiger eye to me. Wood that is that age is generally more worn and a different colour. I have seen rings from that period in Tiger eye before.

Maybe the owner can help us, is it smooth and cool to touch like a stone or is it more like wood or petrified wood.