Description

Antique 14kt Yellow Gold Diamond Double Eagle Masonic Ring

Hold on to your hats, because this is going to be an informative (i.e. long) listing. But there’s so much to tell you! It tickles our souls when we get in pieces that teach us something. And our Antique 14kt yellow gold diamond Double Eagle Masonic Ring had us hitting the books so we could represent it to you correctly. You see, it’s not just another pretty face. It’s a ring with a lot of meaning and symbolism behind it. First of all, it’s a Masonic Ring, meaning that it’s a symbol of a fraternity of men that come together in brotherhood. No one knows for sure exactly when the Freemasons began, but it’s widely accepted that it arose from the stonemasons’ guilds during the Middle Ages. Masons have historically taken care of orphaned children, widows and the like, especially back during times in the 1800s and 1900s when governmental programs to do such weren’t around.

Within the Freemason world there are various levels of responsibility and governance one can achieve referred to as degrees. Our ring would have belonged to someone pretty high up in the organization at the 32nd degree (hence the 32 on one side). You’ll also find some Hebrew letters, which stand for Jehovah (those that are Jewish do not write or utter the word, as that’s considered taking the Lord’s name in vain). There are other symbols on the shoulders of the ring, a cross and crown that’s a little worn on one side and something that’s so worn it’s now indiscernible on the other. And then there are the two eagles. The double eagle, in the world of Freemasonry, symbolizes the Scottish Rite, one of the appendant bodies that a Master Mason may join.

And that’s just the outside of the ring! There’s hand engraving on the inside, not all of which we’ve been able to make out just yet (darn reading glasses seem to have gotten weaker somehow) but we can see the inscription just under the head of the ring which reads: Ellis Bonte, Jan. 17, 08 (for 1908).

What We Love About It:

Beyond the amazing history and symbolism of its Masonic roots, we love how lovingly worn it is. This ring CLEARLY meant a lot to someone (we’re guessing Mr. Bonte) and was worn often and proudly. As it should have been.

The Deets:

Besides the symbolism we mentioned above, there has been some wear to the Double Eagles, but they are still clearly pronounced enough to see easily. The ring is made in 14kt yellow gold and weighs 8.42g. There is a small Old Mine Cut diamond at the center of the Eagles that by measurement weighs somewhere between .10 and .15cts and is an I1 and our best guess is a H-J color (we didn’t remove it to test it). We’ll update this listing if we are able to decipher all of the inscription inside, beyond the name and date and there is also a star-shaped hallmark to the inside that should denote the manufacture. The ring is currently a size 8 US and could be sized, but we strongly discourage that, as it would ruin the inscription/engraving. As we say here, if it doesn’t fit one finger, try the others until you find one it does. 😉

You do not have to be a Mason to love, appreciate and wear this Diamond Double Eagle Masonic ring. Maybe you have a family member who was a Mason. Maybe you love Eagles. Maybe you help those down on their luck. Wearing it with the values  of the Masons (helping those who are in need) in mind feels perfectly acceptable to us.