Opinion Needed - Help Identify Era of an Old Ring

[AntiqueLocket]

Hello! I just wanted some professional opinions...I am only a collector Does this ring look Victorian, Georgian, older? Newer? It was tested to be 12k and I bought it from I *think* the UK (It's been a while!) It was online, so who knows where it originated from. The back is solid, not open, and there's some neat little engraving on the side. I'm not entirely sure if that's a man or lady. Any thoughts? I appreciate any info you have to offer!
-Adriane

 

[partgypsy]

any hallmarks?

 

[Bron357]

All articles made of precious metal ie gold have had to be hallmarked to attest their purity for hundreds of years in the UK. Most countries have similarly had regulations in place for many centuries. The hallmarks were so people could “trust” the quantity of precious and valuable metal in the article. There weren’t sophisticated testing techniques available back then and plenty of people were trying to “pass off” other alloys and metals as either gold or silver.
If your ring was made by a UK goldsmith they would have had to assay it before sale.
Given the unsophisticated design in the rings shoulders I would guess this ring was made by an artisan “at home so to speak” rather than by a goldsmith which would also explain why there are no hallmarks.
Unfortunately without hallmarks it is impossible to date your ring, it could be 150 years old, it could have been made in the last decade. The cameo is of a woman, but again, the style and depiction of the cameo can’t really be used for dating purposes as people even today recreate style and designs from eras gone by.
Nevertheless it’s a lovely ring, enjoy.