Edit: In the process of researching this piece, I discovered that Niello enamel is made with LEAD. I have adjusted the price to reflect this (selling at cost). Some jewelry lovers online speculate that such pieces can still be worn as long as hands are washed before food or mouths are touched. Please be aware of this and wear with caution.
In my many years collecting vintage Siam jewelry, I have never found a piece quite like this one! One side of this ring features a lovely hand-engraved elephant in silver, surrounded by beautiful gun-metal colored enamel. The little plaque actually spins and snaps in place to reveal a MERMAID on the other side! Jewelry like this most often features Mekhala, the Thai goddess of lightning. Elephant imagery is more rare in this style of jewelry, with Mermaids being the most rare of all! Wear this unique piece with whichever side speaks to you more each morning that you put it on.
Elephants represent many things: they're symbols of luck and prosperity, but they are also powerful beings that use their mighty strength to remove obstacles and negative forces. They also represent wisdom, long life, memory and vitality.
Mermaids symbolize renewal: Since mermaids are tied to a water element, they embody the revitalization that water brings. Water is vital to life and growth, and it is used in many cultures to symbolize birth and rebirth.
Siam Sterling jewelry was manufactured from the 1930s through the 1980s, and was a very popular motif in the 1950-60s. Although Siam officially changed its name to Thailand in the 1940s, the “Siam” nickname for this style of jewelry stuck.
Siam silver is officially called “Nielloware.” Niello is a black mixture of copper and silver, used as an inlay on engraved metal. American soldiers who visited Thailand in the mid-20th century bought this jewelry for their ladies back home, making it a popular mid-century trend. Much of the filigree was engraved by hand by Thai artisans.
Size 9.25.