A
signet ring used by Kaiser William II is set with a reddish-white onyx,
on which has been engraved a shield bearing the German eagle, and
surmounted by a crown and the letters, W. II. I. R., Wilhelm der
Zweite, Imperator Rex. This signet belonged to the present Kaiser's
grandfather William I, and has been adapted to the present monarch's
use.
Signet
rings were very popular in the latter part of the eighteenth century
and into the nineteenth century. Then, later on, they were revived in
the latter part of the nineteenth century, this revival continuing into
the twentieth century. In the earlier period it was customary to
engrave the crest and motto, or the full arms and motto, on the ring
stone, which was generally bloodstone or carnelian, occasionally white
chalcedony, more rarely lapis lazuli, in contradistinction to the large
seal fobs, in which the favorite stones were amethyst, rock crystal,
smoky topaz (quartz variety), pale chalcedony or some lighter colored
material. Many signet rings were engraved upon gold, the sides of the
rings being also engraved, as a general rule.
Since
the year 1900, great interest has been aroused in seal rings, many of
the designs of which are incised in gold or in platinum, the entire
ring being of gold or platinum, or having a platinum disk set in a gold
hoop. The entire variety of fancy stones is used: pale amethyst, ruby,
beryl, aquamarine, zircon, garnet, sard which has been stained brown,
carnelian (rarely), bloodstone, and jade—both the nephrite variety
from New Zealand and Russia and the jadeite variety found at Bahmo,
Burma. Occasionally the seals of rings are made of fine sapphires,
emeralds, or rubies, and sell for from $1,000 to $10,000, or even more.
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