Acrostic Jewellery.
REGARD: A Secret Message in a Ring
Some antique jewellery is beautiful.
Some is interesting.
And then there is jewellery that has a little secret.
The Regard ring is one of my favourites. At first glance it looks like a rather attractive little antique ring set with coloured stones. But look a little closer and you discover that the stones are actually spelling a word.
R – Ruby
E – Emerald
G – Garnet
A – Amethyst
R – Ruby
D – Diamond
REGARD.
This is known as acrostic jewellery, where the first letter of each gemstone creates a hidden message. The fashion became particularly popular during the Georgian and Victorian periods, when jewellery was often used to express sentiments that people perhaps couldn't say quite so openly.
And that is what makes these rings so charming.
Imagine being given one two hundred years ago. To everyone else, it is simply a pretty ring. But you know that the stones are saying something.
REGARD.
In its period meaning, regard was rather more romantic than the word sounds to modern ears — expressing affection, esteem and high regard for another person.
There were other acrostic messages too. DEAREST, for example, could be spelled with Diamond, Emerald, Amethyst, Ruby, Emerald, Sapphire and Topaz. ADORE was another favourite.
I think this is one of the great pleasures of buying genuine antique jewellery. You aren't simply buying something old and pretty. You are buying something that was made for a reason, worn by someone, and sometimes contains a story that is quite literally hidden in plain sight.
And perhaps that is the best thing about a Regard ring.
It doesn't shout.
It whispers.
And you have to know how to read it.
At Top Banana Antiques, we love antiques that have a story — and acrostic jewellery has one built directly into the stones.
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