European Coral and Silver Ring, with 800 Silver mark stamp, handmade definitely before WWII, probably around the mid 1930s, from northern Europe, the 800 Silver stamp indicating either Germany or one of the Baltic States, Estonia, Latvia or Lithuania, all of which used Silver of 800 purity in jewellery and table wear in that period.
The 925 Silver standard of the UK indicates 925 parts Silver in 1000, i.e. 92.5% Silver content, and has been the UK Silver standard for hundreds of years, a standard also followed in countries over which the UK had influence, such as the USA and Australia. Europe, Scandanavia and Russia had their own Silver standards, 800, 830, 835. France and Germany and the Baltics used the 800 standard, indicating 80% Silver purity, a quite acceptable Silver standard, being durable and maintaining good Silver colour. Over the decade after 1945 Europe shifted to the now universal 925 standard.
The gemstone in the above European Coral Ring is of very good gem quality, a fine natural deep orange-red. Gemstone Coral ranges in colour from quite pale pink, almost like a tinted white, through all shades of orange and orange-red, to deep blood red; the particular deep orange-red of the above Coral was a favourite colour in northern Europe in the early 20th.Century.
Marcasites surround the Coral, inside a millgrained edging.