Antique 22k Chinese Signet Ring “Improve”
22k 1900s enamel gold ring set in Chinese enamel.
"Jing4 Bu4" means literally "improve". The size is small, maybe a young person’s amulet ring, or just a charm that is worn as a pinky ring. Its design is a masculine signet style, with relief edgings on stepped sides and a plain band.
The flatness of the ring as a whole is very stylish, a strange aesthetic between kitsch and kiddy. Not many rings can claim this, though this is a finely crafted ring in terms of craftsmanship and keep.
Straits Chinese enamel, the early pieces, display their enamel in a very refined way – mostly with hi-shine. As time passes these type of enamel quality seem to wear very well, less prone to scratches and in better keep than subsequent pieces done at a later time.
To fire the enamel efficiently, these rings would have to be quite flat and level. It is not a coincidence many antique Straits enamel rings were designed to wear as pinky rings.
The pinky ring has many motivations, one to appeal to power, one to appeal to reason. This is the latter I suppose.
These rings are hard to find, however much we wish to locate and work on a visual taxonomy of Chinese signet rings.
Will Chinese hallmarks.
The ring is a current US size 5. We can increase it by a few sizes for an additional fee.