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Hidden Compartment Ring

Recent Sales

Victorian Mourning Memorial Yellow Gold and Enamel Hidden Compartment Ring
Located in Chicago, IL
Circa 1850s Yellow Gold Mourning Memorial Ring, measuring 1/4 inch wide and having hand engraved
Category

Antique 1850s Unknown Victorian More Rings

Materials

Yellow Gold, Enamel

Antique 18 Karat Yellow Gold Monogram Signet Poison Hidden Compartment Ring
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Designed as a signet style ring with an oval face engraved with script initials 'M S Y' Face is
Category

Vintage 1910s Engagement Rings

Materials

Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Georgian Enameled Diamond Urn Mourning Ring with Hidden Compartment
Located in Narberth, PA
. The diamond "lid" at the top serves as the handle of a hidden compartment on the back of the urn. When
Category

Antique 1750s Georgian More Rings

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold

Antique Swiss Enamel Hidden Compartment Ring
Located in New York, NY
ring was designed to hold a hidden compartment by opening the top of the ring. Hidden compartment rings
Category

Antique 1810s More Rings

Materials

Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Victorian Renaissance Revival Blue Enamel Hidden Compartment Ring
Located in Narberth, PA
that incorporate hidden compartments are often referred to as "poison rings," though they were also
Category

Antique 1880s Unknown Victorian More Rings

Materials

18k Gold

Banded Agate Shield Ring with Hidden Locket Compartment
Located in New York, NY
shoulders. The agate open to a hidden locket.
Category

Antique 1880s American Victorian Fashion Rings

Materials

Agate, Gold

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Hidden Compartment Ring For Sale on 1stDibs

You are likely to find exactly the hidden compartment ring you’re looking for on 1stDibs, as there is a broad range for sale. Every item for sale was constructed with extraordinary care, often using gold, silver and sterling silver. In our selection of items, you can find a vintage example as well as a contemporary version. Making the right choice when shopping for a hidden compartment ring may mean carefully reviewing examples of this item dating from different eras — you can find an early iteration of this piece from the 18th Century and a newer version made as recently as the 21st Century, both of which have proven very popular over the years. There have been many well-made iterations of the classic hidden compartment ring over the years, but those made by AGMES and Boucheron are often thought to be among the most beautiful. A hidden compartment ring can be a stylish choice for most occasions, but lapis lazuli rings, from our inventory of 2, can add a particularly distinctive touch to your look, day or night. A ball cut version of this piece has appeal, but there are also rose cut and bead versions for sale. There aren’t many items for men if you’re seeking a hidden compartment ring, as most of the options available are for women and unisex.

How Much is a Hidden Compartment Ring?

Prices for a hidden compartment ring can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — at 1stDibs, these accessories begin at $430 and can go as high as $9,595, while this accessory, on average, fetches $3,623.

Why Gold Shines in Jewelry Craftsmanship

Gold is the feel-good metal, the serotonin of jewelry. Wear vintage and antique gold necklaces, watches, gold bracelets or gold rings and you feel happy, you feel dressed, you feel, well, yourself. 

Gold, especially yellow gold, with its rich patina and ancient pedigree going back thousands of years, is the steady standby, the well-mannered metal of choice. Any discussion of this lustrous metal comes down to a basic truth: Gold is elementary, my dear. Gold jewelry that couples the mystique of the metal with superb design and craftsmanship achieves the status of an enduring classic. Many luxury houses have given us some of our most treasured and lasting examples of gold jewelry over the years.

Since its founding, in 1837, Tiffany & Co. has built its reputation on its company jewelry as well as its coterie of boutique designers, which has included Jean Schlumberger, Donald Claflin, Angela Cummings and Elsa Peretti. There are numerous gold Tiffany classics worth citing. Some are accented with gemstones, but all stand out for their design and the workmanship displayed.

For the woman who prefers a minimalist look, the Tiffany & Co. twist bangle (thin, slightly ovoid) is stylishly simple. For Cummings devotees, signature pieces feature hard stone inlay, such as her pairs of gold ear clips inlaid with black jade (a play on the classic Chanel black and tan), or bangles whose design recalls ocean waves, with undulating lines of lapis lazuli and mother-of-pearl. And just about any design by the great Jean Schlumberger is by definition a classic.

Even had he eschewed stones and diamonds, Southern-born David Webb would be hailed for the vast arsenal of heavy gold jewelry he designed. Gold, usually hammered or textured in some manner, defines great David Webb jewelry. The self-taught jeweler made very au courant pieces while drawing inspiration from ancient and out-of-the-way sources — East meets West in the commanding gold necklaces made by Webb in the early 1970s. The same could be said for his endlessly varied gold cuffs.

In Europe, many houses have given us gold jewelry that sets the highest standard for excellence, pieces that were highly sought after when they were made and continue to be so. 

Numerous designs from Cartier are homages to gold. There are the classic Trinity rings, necklaces and bracelets — trifectas of yellow, white and rose gold. As a testament to the power of love, consider the endurance of the Cartier Love bracelet.

Aldo Cipullo, Cartier’s top in-house designer from the late 1960s into the early ’70s, made history in 1969 with the Love bracelet. Cipullo frequently said that the Love bracelet was born of a sleepless night contemplating a love affair gone wrong and his realization that “the only remnants he possessed of the romance were memories.” He distilled the urge to keep a loved one close into a slim 18-karat gold bangle. 

BVLGARI and its coin jewelry, gemme nummarie, hit the jackpot when the line launched in the 1960s. The line has been perennially popular. BVLGARI coin jewelry features ancient Greek and Roman coins embedded in striking gold mounts, usually hung on thick link necklaces of varying lengths. In the 1970s, BVLGARI introduced the Tubogas line, most often made in yellow gold. The Tubogas watches are classics, and then there is the Serpenti, the house's outstanding snake-themed watches and bracelets.

A collection called Monete that incorporated the gold coins is one of several iconic BVLGARI lines that debuted in the 1970s and ’80s, catering to a new generation of empowered women. Just as designers like Halston and Yves Saint Laurent were popularizing fuss-free ready-to-wear fashion for women on the go, BVLGARI offered jewels to be lived in

Since Van Cleef & Arpels opened its Place Vendôme doors in 1906, collection after collection of jewelry classics have enchanted the public. As predominantly expressed in a honeycomb of gold, there is the Ludo watch and accessories, circa the 1920s, and the golden Zip necklace, 1951, whose ingenious transformation of the traditional zipper was originally proposed by the Duchess of Windsor. Van Cleef's Alhambra, with its Moroccan motif, was introduced in 1968 and from the start its popularity pivoted on royalty and celebrity status. It remains one of VCA’s most popular and collected styles.

Mention must be made of Buccellati, whose name is synonymous with gold so finely spun that it suggests tapestry. The house’s many gold bracelets, typically embellished with a few or many diamonds, signified taste and distinction and are always in favor on the secondary market. Other important mid-20th-century houses known for their gold-themed jewelry include Hermès and Ilias Lalaounis.

Find a stunning collection of vintage and antique gold jewelry on 1stDibs.

Finding the Right Rings for You

Antique and vintage rings have long held a special place in the hearts of fine jewelry lovers all over the world.

No matter their origin or specific characteristics, rings are timeless, versatile accessories. They’ve carried deep meaning since at least the Middle Ages, when diamond rings symbolized strength and other kinds of rings were worn to signify romantic feelings or to denote an affiliation with a religious order. Rings have also forever been emblematic of eternity.

Over time, rings have frequently taken the form of serpents, which have long been associated with eternal life, health and renewal. Italian luxury jewelry house Bulgari has become famous for its widely loved Serpenti motif, for example, and its Serpenti ring, like the other accessories in the collection, began as an homage to jewelry of the Roman and Hellenistic eras. The serpent is now a popular motif in fine jewelry. Jewelry devotees have long pined for rings adorned with reptiles, thanks to antique Victorian rings — well, specifically, Queen Victoria’s illustrious engagement ring, which took the form of a gold snake set with rubies, diamonds and an emerald (her birthstone). Designs for Victorian-era engagement rings often featured repoussé work and chasing, in which patterns are hammered into the metal.

Engagement rings, which are reliably intimidating to shop for, are still widely recognized as symbols of love and commitment. On 1stDibs, a range of buying guides can be found for those in the market for antique engagement ringsvintage engagement rings or Art Deco engagement rings

The most collectible antique engagement rings and vintage engagement rings are those from the Victorian, Edwardian and Art Deco eras. Named for the monarchies of the four King Georges, who in succession ruled England starting in 1714 (plus King William’s reign), antique Georgian rings, be they engagement rings or otherwise, are also coveted by collectors. Pearls, along with colored gemstones like garnets, rubies and sapphires, were widely used in Georgian jewelry. The late-1700s paste jewelry was a predecessor to what we now call fashion or costume jewelry

The Art Nouveau movement (1880–1910) brought with it rings inspired by the natural world. Antique Art Nouveau rings might feature depictions of winged insects and fauna as well as women, who were simultaneously eroticized and romanticized, frequently with long flowing hair. Art Deco jewelry, on the other hand, which originated during the 1920s and ’30s, is by and large “white jewelry.” White metals, primarily platinum, were favored over yellow gold in the design of antique Art Deco rings and other accessories as well as geometric motifs, with women drawn to the era’s dazzling cocktail rings in particular.

Whether you’re hunting down a chunky classic for a Prohibition-themed cocktail party or seeking a clean contemporary design to complement your casual ensemble, find an exquisite collection of antique, new and vintage rings on 1stDibs.

Questions About Hidden Compartment Ring
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Poison rings, also known as pillbox rings, grew in popularity in Europe during the 16th century. There is no known date for the introduction of the poison ring. However, it originated in the Far East and India. Today, the poison ring carries small amounts of liquids. Shop a range of antique poison rings on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    A hidden halo gives a ring more visual appeal when it is viewed from various angles. It is a series of accent stones positioned below the center gemstone. Depending on the stones used in the halo, it may increase the overall sparkle or color of the ring. On 1stDibs, shop a range of gemstone rings.