Victorian Double Heart Opal Ring with Bow

A lovely late Victorian – Edwardian era British sweetheart ring, set with double heart-shaped natural opals linked by an old-cut diamond studded bow above and a single old cut diamond below. The interior of the shank is marked for solid 18k gold.

The double heart ring design, toped with bows or crowns or knots, were extremely popular during the late 19th century, serving as sentimental tokens celebrating the triumph of romantic love. The presence of twin hearts symbolized the union of two souls. The heart shape itself can be traced to older talismans such as the Witch’s Heart (to protect against evil) and the scottish Luckenbooth (a token for lovers).