Vintage Masonic Ruby Ring, Solid10K Gold W/14K Black Hills Gold, Sz 10. 75
Item History & Price
This ring was custom made in approximately 1963 of 10K gold, embellished with ornate Tri-color South Dakota / Black Hills / Mt Rushmore Gold*. Black Hills gold is richly colored gold created by alloying 24K gold with silver or copper, resulting in a 12 or 14K gold alloy which has a slightly pink, gold, or green-gold coloration. (See expanded Wikipedia explanation, below.) The red stone is a lab-created ruby. That means it has the color, clarity, and reflective characteristic...s of ruby, but because it is lab created, is more affordable. A jeweler who was consulted measures the ring at "size 10.75 plus", meaning slightly larger than 10 3/4. The ring has been professionally-sized once, as can be observed in the soldered joint at back of band. This ring was proudly worn for 40 years by a master and past-master Mason (who was also a WW2 veteran) who belonged to masonic lodges in Alexandria VA; Anchorage, Alaska; and Dothan or Enterprise, Alabama. Insignia indicate commitment to the general tenets of masonic membership (faith, loyalty, an ethical life) and Lodge leadership. It should be worn by someone who honors the Masonic commitments. Additional sizing should be done only by a professional jeweler due to the vintage nature of both the lab-created ruby and the delicate nature of the gold embellishments. Free, insured shipping is included. Expedited 1-day shipping is available for an additional $27. ---------------------------------*From Wikipedia in May, 2019: Black Hills gold jewelry is a type of jewelry manufactured in the Black Hills of South Dakota. It was first created in the 1870s during the Black Hills Gold Rush by a French goldsmith named Henri LeBeau, who is said to have dreamed about the design after passing out from thirst and starvation. Black Hills gold jewelry depicts leaves, grape clusters and vines, and is made with alloys of gold with standard yellow gold as well as green and pink gold.[1][2] In 1980, the 8th Circuit affirmed an injunction ruling that if a manufacturer was to call its jewelry Black Hills Gold, then it must be made in the Black Hills.[3] The state of South Dakota designated Black Hills gold as the official state jewelry in 1988.[4][5]The designs use grapes, grape leaves and grape stems and are easily recognizable for their distinctive colors. Silver is alloyed with the yellow gold to produce the green hue, and copper is alloyed with the yellow gold to make the red or pink gold. The jewelry was originally made with South Dakota-mined gold but in more recent years, since the closure of the Homestake Mine, the gold is sourced elsewhere.[6]
