300-Year-Old Ring Linked to Witch Trial Judge Goes Unsold at Auction
However, two medieval jewels surpassed estimates at Noonans Mayfair’s recent jewelry auction in London.

Each was discovered by a man with a metal detector hunting for treasure in different locations across England, but not all found buyers at auction.
One highlight of Wednesday’s sale was a 300-year-old ring with ties to a witch trial judge, discovered by Steve Pulley in January 2020.
The piece turned out to be one of several memorial rings commissioned following the death of Sir Richard Rainsford, a judge who presided over some of the last witch trials held in England.

The gold band has a skull and crossbones on the exterior. Rainsford’s initials and the date of his death are inscribed on the inside of the ring.
The inscription reads: “Richard Rainsford, Mile Nuper Cap Just De Banco Regis Obitus 17 Feb 80 Æt 76,” which translates to “Richard Rainsford, Knight, lately Chief Justice of the Court of the King’s Bench, Died 17th February 1680 aged 76.”
The ring was expected to sell for £6,000 to £8,000 ($7,600 to $10,100), but nobody bought it.
However, two medieval jewels up for sale did find buyers, including a bishop’s sapphire ring.

Metal detectorist Mark Sell came across the ring in November 2019. It is believed to date back to the late 12th to early 13th century.
“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,” said Laura Smith, jewelry expert at Noonans.
The ring features a hexagon-shaped 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.
It sold for £19,000 ($24,500), slightly above its pre-sale estimate of £15,000 to £18,000 ($19,400 to $23,300).
Also up for sale at the Noonans auction was a gold posy ring dating from the 13th to 14th century and discovered by metal detectorist Richard Girling in March 2024.

“This is one of my best artifact finds. I have found coins in the past, and it is nice to have something in your hand that hasn’t been touched for hundreds of years and imagine what were the people like, why were they there,” Girling said.
Smith, Noonans’ jewelry expert, shared the history of the posy ring.
“Romance and jewelry have always been closely entwined, and during the medieval period it became popular to inscribe a short love message or ‘posy’ on a gold ring to be given to your beloved,” she said.
“The intimacy is enhanced by the fact the message is worn right next to the skin and is really just for the wearer to behold.”
On the exterior of this ring in a mix of Roman and Lombardic letters, is an inscription that reads, “+IO.VVS.AIM.PAR.FEI,” which translates from medieval French as ‘“I love you by faith” or “I love you faithfully.”
The ring sold for £11,000 ($14,200), above its pre-sale estimate of £6,000 to £8,000 ($7,700 to $10,300).
The Latest

Moti Ferder stepped down Wednesday and will not receive any severance pay, parent company Compass Diversified said.

Lichtenberg partnered with luxury platform Mytheresa on two designs honoring the connection between mothers and daughters.

The miner announced plans to recommence open-pit mining at Kagem.

Gain access to the most exclusive and coveted antique pieces from trusted dealers during Las Vegas Jewelry Week.

Michel Desalles allegedly murdered Omid Gholian inside World of Gold N Diamond using zip ties and then fled the country.


Associate Editor Lauren McLemore shares her favorite looks from a night of style inspired by Black dandyism.

Sponsored by Instappraise

Supplier Spotlight Sponsored by GIA

CEO Beth Gerstein discussed the company’s bridal bestsellers, the potential impact of tariffs, and the rising price of gold.

The brand’s first independent location outside of Australia has opened in Beverly Hills, California.

Cathy Marsh will lead the jewelry company’s efforts in the upper Midwest and western United States.

The company has multiple strategies for dealing with tariffs, though its CEO said moving manufacturing to the U.S. is not one of them.

Connecting with your customers throughout the year is key to a successful holiday marketing push.

Its commercial-quality emerald sale held last month totaled more than $16 million, up from about $11 million in September 2024.

National Jeweler Editor-in-Chief Michelle Graff joined Michael Burpoe to talk tariffs, consumer confidence, and the sky-high price of gold.

Expanded this year to include suppliers, JA’s 2025 list honors 40 up-and-coming professionals in the jewelry industry.

Located in Fort Smith, it’s the Mid-South jeweler’s first store in Northwest Arkansas.

The episode about the family-owned jeweler will premiere May 17.

The Houston-based jeweler’s new 11,000-square-foot showroom will include a Rolex boutique.

“The Duke Diamond” is the largest diamond registered at the Arkansas park so far this year.

The childhood craft of making dried pasta necklaces for Mother’s Day is all grown up as the 14-karat gold “Forever Macaroni” necklace.

Set with May’s birthstone and featuring an earthworm, this ring is a perfect celebration of spring.

“Bridal 2025–2026” includes popular styles and a dedicated section for quick pricing references of lab-grown diamond bridal jewelry.

Though currently paused, high tariffs threaten many countries where gemstones are mined. Dealers are taking measures now to prepare.

Located in Miami’s Design District, the 4,000-square-foot store is an homage to David and Sybil Yurman’s artistic roots.

May babies are lucky indeed, born in a month awash with fresh colors and celebrated with one of the most coveted colored gemstones.

The deadline to apply for the Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship is June 12.