The Timeless Craft of Signet Rings
Seals in the form of rings or fobs were used in the earliest Egyptian and Banzantine civilisations. They were attached to documents of state to confer authority and prove authenticity, used in such documents as royal commissions and charters. From C17th the wearing of gold and stone set signet rings became increasingly popular as a portable mark of distinction and for practical purposes such as sealing a letter.
Today, while the majority of signet rings use a family crest, they can offer even more, becoming personalised pieces of jewellery that reflect individual stories and interests. Signet rings are often a family tradition gifted on important birthdays but also commissioned to mark special achievements or a marriage.
“It’s not necessarily a family thing anymore. It’s just something that people like, want, or admire.” explains Denzil of Denzil Skinner & Partners, a bespoke boutique jeweller in Edinburgh.
Personalised Designs Beyond Tradition
While signet rings are traditionally associated with family crests, many of which are recorded in the bible of crests called, Fairbairn’s; modern signet rings can feature unique and personal designs. “We’ve created rings for people who don’t have a family crest. One notable piece was for a North Sea diver, depicting a diver plunging into the sea, with only legs visible above the water,” shares Denzil. “The ring used blue-black sardonyx to symbolise the ocean, adding depth and meaning to the design”.
Other designs feature a dodo and thistle, a dog, a palm tree, and a castellated building. “These designs are memories for the person who wears them. We don’t do it often, but it’s a bit of fun coming up with something unique.”
The Art and Skill of Seal Engraving
Seal engraving is a specialist engraving technique. To create a usable image the seal engraver must reverse the crest/design. The technique is an increasingly rare skill in the UK. “Considering the small size of the image, the level of detail achieved is phenomenal, the engraver’s skill is quite incredible” says Denzil.
Meanwhile stone-set rings, where the crest/image is seal engraved into a type of stone, requires a slightly different set of skills. “Stone seal engravers are even rarer, but we are fortunate to have one exceptional engraver we have worked with for a long time.”
Line engraving is used on occasion but can wear away quite quickly and is not in the reversed format. This type of engraving is good for initials.
Choosing the Right Material
Signet rings can be made from various precious metals; including silver, 9 and 18 carat yellow, rose and white gold and platinum. Denzil highlights that “14 carat gold is rarely used in the UK, so processing 14 carat ends up making it almost as expensive as 18 carat”.
A critical distinction in the quality of signet rings lies in the material used. “Gold which has been passed through rollers to produce sheet of the required thickness and then stamped out using hardened steel dies in a 150 ton hydraulic press and then annealed to soften the metal gives the seal engraver the perfect material in which to seal engrave. Cast signet rings are less expensive but tend to be porous and granular which can make the engraver’s task more difficult and less precise,” explains Denzil.
When considering a stone set signet ring there are any number available from Bloodstone, black Onyx and Sardonyx through to Lapis Lazuli and green agate to name but a few. “We have developed our own design set with Peridot or blue Topaz which can be seal engraved”.
Heraldry and Heritage
An understanding of heraldry is a pre-requisite when creating an authentic signet ring. Traditionally crests & coats of arms are approved by the Garter King of Arms in England and Lord Lyon in Scotland. While not a complete list, we refer to Fairbairn’s book of crests, as our authoritative guide and use it to research crests & mottos.
We show various examples, different head shapes and metal types above. While the motto for a Scottish family is positioned over the crest, it lies underneath for the English equivalent. Further to this there are cadency marks to define children and every colour has a unique hatching style.
In summary
Signet rings continue to blend tradition with personal expression, appealing to a broad audience. Their resurgence in popularity, aided by notable A-listers and members of the monarchy, underscores their timeless appeal. As Denzil Skinner puts it, “It’s terrific to see signet rings in at the moment, continuing a tradition that blends heritage with personal significance using time honoured skills and all made in the UK.”
If you would like a personalised signet ring, get in touch.
Signet Rings were notably featured in Netflix’s “One Day”:
For additional information visit our signet ring page:
or to enquire about your own signet ring call 0131 538 4224 or email [email protected]
