AuctionsFeb 28, 2025
300-Year-Old Ring With Ties to Witch Trial Judge Up for Auction AuctionsMar 12, 2025
A Medieval Bishop’s Sapphire Ring Is Going Up for Sale
A metal detectorist discovered the ring that is believed to have belonged to a bishop in the late 12th to early 13th century.
A sapphire ring that is believed to have belonged to a medieval bishop is heading to auction at Noonans Mayfair. (Image courtesy of Noonans)
London—A man using a metal detector in Norfolk, England, uncovered a medieval bishop’s ring dating back to the late 12th to early 13th century.
The rare find will head to auction at Noonans Mayfair in its “Jewellery, Silver and Objects of Vertu” sale on March 26.
Mark Sell, a 63-year-old resident of Swaffham and a retired member of the Fire Service, was using his metal detector on King Row, Shipdham in Norfolk on Nov. 22, 2019, when he discovered the treasure.
He had been to this field a few times before and hadn’t found anything, but a few hours into the day, he found what he called “the best item I have found so far.”
“I was amazed to see a thin line of gold in the clod of mud that I had dug up, and as I wiped away the mud, I could see the bezel of a medieval gold jewelled ring. I could also see that the ring was complete with all of the original jewels still in place and was in pristine condition,” said Sell.
Laura Smith, jewelry expert at Noonans, shared details about the ring and insight into the area’s history.
“This form of medieval ring, with a principal cabochon stone, usually a sapphire, surrounded by smaller collet set satellite stones (garnets or rubies, and emeralds), can be securely dated to the late 12th or early 13th century, and is associated with the bishopric,” she said.
The ring features a hexagonal cabochon sapphire as its center stone in a closed back collet setting, surrounded by four smaller cabochon emeralds and garnets, with a flat, narrow band.
The area where it was found, the village of Shipdham in central Norfolk, was well established by the time of the Norman Conquest, said Smith, and it was one of the largest settlements in England at the time, with its history detailed in the Domesday Book of 1086.
During the reign of Henry III, who ruled from 1216 to 1272, the Bishop of Ely built a manor house at Shipdham. Its moat can be seen on 19th century maps, said Smith.
“Also, of importance during the medieval period, this area contained a royal deer park, owned by the See of Ely. The park, composed of Little Haw and West Haw, was in existence by 1277 but passed into the hands of the Wodehouse family between 1561 and 1584. All Saints church, Shipdham, dates from the 12th century.”
Similar rings from around this time have been preserved, including one that belonged to Walter de Gray, the Archbishop of York from 1215 until his death in 1255, which is on display at York Minster.
There is also the Bishop of Chichester’s ring and the Whithorn Cathedral ring.
Related stories will be right here …
The rare find will head to auction at Noonans Mayfair in its “Jewellery, Silver and Objects of Vertu” sale on March 26.
Mark Sell, a 63-year-old resident of Swaffham and a retired member of the Fire Service, was using his metal detector on King Row, Shipdham in Norfolk on Nov. 22, 2019, when he discovered the treasure.
He had been to this field a few times before and hadn’t found anything, but a few hours into the day, he found what he called “the best item I have found so far.”
“I was amazed to see a thin line of gold in the clod of mud that I had dug up, and as I wiped away the mud, I could see the bezel of a medieval gold jewelled ring. I could also see that the ring was complete with all of the original jewels still in place and was in pristine condition,” said Sell.
Laura Smith, jewelry expert at Noonans, shared details about the ring and insight into the area’s history.
“This form of medieval ring, with a principal cabochon stone, usually a sapphire, surrounded by smaller collet set satellite stones (garnets or rubies, and emeralds), can be securely dated to the late 12th or early 13th century, and is associated with the bishopric,” she said.
The ring features a hexagonal cabochon sapphire as its center stone in a closed back collet setting, surrounded by four smaller cabochon emeralds and garnets, with a flat, narrow band.
The area where it was found, the village of Shipdham in central Norfolk, was well established by the time of the Norman Conquest, said Smith, and it was one of the largest settlements in England at the time, with its history detailed in the Domesday Book of 1086.
During the reign of Henry III, who ruled from 1216 to 1272, the Bishop of Ely built a manor house at Shipdham. Its moat can be seen on 19th century maps, said Smith.
“Also, of importance during the medieval period, this area contained a royal deer park, owned by the See of Ely. The park, composed of Little Haw and West Haw, was in existence by 1277 but passed into the hands of the Wodehouse family between 1561 and 1584. All Saints church, Shipdham, dates from the 12th century.”
Similar rings from around this time have been preserved, including one that belonged to Walter de Gray, the Archbishop of York from 1215 until his death in 1255, which is on display at York Minster.
There is also the Bishop of Chichester’s ring and the Whithorn Cathedral ring.
When Sell uncovered this ring, he reported his find to the landowner, then handed it to the local Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) Finds Liaison Officer (FLO).
Under the U.K.’s Treasure Act 1996, finders are legally obligated to report finds of potential treasure, and typically do so via reporting to an FLO, according to the PAS website.
The Act allows a national or local museum to acquire treasure for public benefit.
The ring was temporarily on display at the British Museum, and the Norwich Castle Museum was interested in acquiring the ring to put on permanent display, said Noonans.
Sell took photos of the ring to a Noonans valuation day, where experts shared with him the “extreme rarity” and historical importance of the ring.
The ring has a pre-sale estimate of £15,000 to 18,000 ($19,400 to $23,300).
The proceeds from the sale of the ring will be shared between the landowner and Sell, who said he does not yet have plans for what to do with the money.
Noonans has sold jewelry uncovered by retirees before, including a 300-year-old ring with ties to a witch trial judge, which will also be a part of the March 26 sale, as well as a 17th-century gold seal ring, and an 18th-century memento mori ring sold in 2023.
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
More on Auctions
The Latest
IndependentsOct 14, 2026
Retailer Hall of Fame 2026: Coleman and Mitchell ClarkFourth-generation jewelers Coleman and Mitchell Clark exemplify the best qualities of their predecessors: humility, modesty, and confidence.
SourcingOct 14, 2026
Manuel Marcial de Gomar, ‘The Emerald Whisperer,’ Dies at 90The gem hunter, whose 70-year career was defined by adventure and exploration, is remembered for his steadfast faith and sense of wonder.
FinancialsOct 14, 2026
LVMH’s Jewelry Brands Turn in ‘Very Good’ Performance in Q3 Tiffany & Co. continued its full-scale store renovation project while Bulgari’s high jewelry collection generated “record-breaking revenue.”
Brought to you by
Meet Gemology’s Next Generation Microscope: GIA® Gemolite® NXT Professional EditionExperience gemstones with greater precision and comfort than ever before.
Events & AwardsOct 14, 2026
Chicago Responsible Jewelry Conference Releases 2026 ProgramThis year’s sessions feature leading voices from human rights, legal, and conservation organizations.
Weekly QuizOct 08, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
MajorsOct 13, 2026
David Webb Owner Purchases Lugano JewelryThe high-end jewelry retailer was sold to private investment firm Middle West Partners and a group of longtime clients.
Lab-GrownOct 13, 2026
Stephanie Gottlieb Takes Lab-Grown Diamond Collection WholesaleThe jewelry designer has partnered with Sofer Jewelry to distribute her 85-piece lab-grown diamond collection.
Brought to you by
Your Piece Could Be the One Editors Talk AboutSubmit your pieces for a chance to win in this year's competition.
IndependentsOct 13, 2026
Retailer Hall of Fame 2026: Sean DunnDunn, this year’s Single-Store Independent inductee, is passionate about innovation and telling the story of natural diamonds.
IndependentsOct 13, 2026
Greenwich St. Jewelers’ New Candle Smells Like HomeThe “Island Jewel” candle honors New York City and Puerto Rico and raises money for the island’s water relief efforts.
TechnologyOct 13, 2026
GemFind Is a New JA Member Benefit Partner The partnership will give JA members access to preferred pricing, exclusive benefits, technology solutions, education, and resources.
SurveysOct 09, 2026
These Will Be the 10 Busiest Days for In-Store Shopping This Holiday SeasonStores should expect to see the most customers on Nov. 27, and Christmas week is expected to be hectic too, as Dec. 25 falls on a Friday.
CollectionsOct 09, 2026
Elisa Solomon Collabs With Serendipity 3 on ‘Frozen Hot Chocolate’ CharmThe charm, our Piece of the Week, features brown diamond frozen hot chocolate topped with white diamond whipped cream and a ruby straw.
WatchesOct 09, 2026
Movado to Sell Majority Stake in Ebel for $66.5MThe watch company agreed to sell a 95 percent interest to a group comprised of F.P. Journe, Chanel, and Swiss watch exec Pierre Jacques.
Policies & IssuesOct 08, 2026
Third Wave of IEEPA Tariff Refunds Begins This round of tariff refunds is for importers that have sued over IEEPA tariffs in the Court of International Trade and won.
CollectionsOct 08, 2026
Brent Neale’s New Collection Goes ‘Back to Basics’It revisits the brand’s most requested silhouettes, from "Pillow"-set necklaces and bracelets to "Signature"-set rings and earrings.
SourcingOct 08, 2026
Ethical Gem Fair Heads Back to BrooklynThe trade-only event includes buying opportunities as well as educational sessions on artisanal mining, the new Paraíba source, and more.
Events & AwardsOct 08, 2026
Pattons Fine Jewelry Sweeps Local Design ContestAra Chanakian, a jeweler at Pattons, took home top honors in every category at Jewelers of Louisiana’s annual jewelry design competition.
AuctionsOct 08, 2026
Reba McEntire’s Jewelry, Watches Head to Julien’s AuctionsThe live charity benefit sale in Nashville will also feature gowns, boots, and other memorabilia from the country music legend.
Supplier BulletinOct 08, 2026
Overnight Mountings’ Bridal Builder Helps Jewelers Turn Custom Design into a Hands-On Selling ExperienceSponsored by Overnight Mountings
Policies & IssuesOct 07, 2026
The Plumb Club Amplifies Its Voice as Geopolitical Pressures MountThe supplier organization recently joined JA and JVC to have more input on political issues affecting the jewelry industry.
CollectionsOct 07, 2026
Blue Nile, Royal Asscher Collection Highlights Natural Diamond BeautyBlue Nile, a Signet Jewelers-owned brand, is now Royal Asscher’s exclusive licensed retailer in North America.
CollectionsOct 07, 2026
4 Standout Pieces in Audemars Piguet’s First High Jewelry Collection “Royal Oak” pays homage to the brand’s most popular watch model using 18-karat gold as well as diamonds, emeralds, and sapphires.
MajorsOct 07, 2026
Empire Safe & Vault Promotes Juan Morales to CEOAs part of the transition, Joseph Nicosia has stepped into the role of COO.
SourcingOct 07, 2026
AGTA Extends Deadline for 2026 Spectrum Awards EntriesParticipants now have until Oct. 14 to complete their submissions.
CrimeOct 06, 2026
6 Charged in Connection to String of New Jersey Smash-and-GrabsThe alleged thieves used crow bars and sledgehammers to smash into jewelry stores across the state.
ColumnistsOct 06, 2026
Sherry Smith: Is the Consumer Really Trading Up?Ahead of the holidays, Smith urges jewelers to take a hard look at who’s buying jewelry, what they’re purchasing, and who’s stopped buying.
