This ring is handmade of 10 karat yellow gold. The gold work setting forms a basket to hold the Amethyst stone, with unusual raised shoulders on each side of the gem. The ring is set with a deep cut and deep color 1 carat of Royal Amethyst.

Amethyst is the purple variety of quartz and the most valued member of the quartz family. It must be purple to be amethyst, but it can display a range of shades including deep purple, light lilac, lavender and mauve. Top quality amethyst is a deep medium purple with red to rose-colored flashes. Its purple color made it a stone of royalty for many thousands of years.

This is from a family in Nashville Tennessee and is circa dated to 1865. The stone is prong set, with six prongs. It is Size 6 1/4 and can easily be resized if needed. It is in excellent condition.