Hi Nise thanks for writing in about your questions below:
"it says CPS, then the 'gold' crown, then 18 (i presume 18c gold) the the ancour (which i know is Birmingham) then a I or a T (i think it is the T) can you shed any light on its age, and if it would be considered valuable? it is ruby and diamound (the real thing i think as you can tell the ring is quaility) i am not looking at selling, just want to know the age really"
OK. The crown followed by 18, (they should each appear in a little square box shape) is the UK mark on 18ct GOLD used between 1798 - 1974.
The I or T is the date letter and this letter is the key that will "dotda" (Arabic translation) or point to the date. When you find the date you can then work out the maker's mark, as the maker would have registered the mark around the same time. Examine the date letter with you magnifying glass or jewelers loupe.
Now click on the Birmingham date letter chart (top right corner of the page) and compare the date letter on the inside of your ring with the date letters in the columns you will see in the Birmingham date letter chart. Be meticulous. Compare the style of the letter, the shape of the letter and VERY important, the shape of the punch mark behind the letter.
Gemstones, like rubies and diamonds not only add to the beauty of the piece but they can also make a tremendous difference in the value. Just because the ring is old do not fall into the trap of believing the stones must be natural. Imitation stones date back to the ancient egyptians.
The first synthetic rubies came onto the market in the 1800s. A good size natural ruby without any inclusions is very rare. Lack of inclusions is an indication that the ruby is synthetic. Your local jeweler should be able to test the stones. I would strongly advise you to have the stones tested.
