Because the inscription was on the inside of the band, posy rings carried a sentiment that was intimate - a secret between the giver and the wearer. It's said that people believed the words could literally (or more likely, figuratively) penetrate the skin through physical contact. SEXY!
The message was often engraved in Old or Middle English, French, or Latin. Posys were usually exchanged as betrothal rings, and this surviving treasure from around 1780 would make a hell of a wedding band today. Did "Let's Live and Die in Unity" once rhyme?
These rings are extremely rare. And like all posy rings, it was made in high-karat (22k) gold.
MATERIALS: 22k gold (tests)
AGE: c. 1780
CONDITION: Very good - surface wear commensurate with age and use; engraving is faint in places but still legible
SIZE: 8, resizing not recommended; 3.1mm shank