A faceted iron and gold band. This is a beautiful, and most unusual ring. It could be for either men, or women. However, it appears to be an early form of wedding band for a man. It has a stunning quality to it, partly because of the use of iron in its making, and also due to the large and wonderfully cut facets running through the ring itself.

At one point along the band is a solid gold solder point where the ring was brought to its completion. This contrast of the graphite colored iron against the gold is also a stunning detail. Alongside this there is a repair to one of the ends of the facets, also made with solid gold, which again is very eye catching against the iron.

The history behind this ring is particularly interesting. It is believed that this is an example of an Engineers ring. These rings were worn by Canadian-trained, as a symbol and reminder of the obligations and ethics associated with their profession. The ring is presented to engineering graduates in a private ceremony known as the "Ritual of the Calling of an Engineer”.  The concept of the ritual and its Iron Rings originated from H. E. T. Haultain in 1922, with assistance from Rudyard Kipling, who crafted the ritual at Haultain's request.

There, the facets act as a sharp reminder of one's obligation while the engineer works, because it could drag on the writing surface while the engineer is drawing or writing. This is particularly true of recently obligated engineers, whose rings bear sharp, unworn, facets. Protocol dictates that the rings should be returned by retired engineers or by the families of deceased engineers. Some camps offer previously obligated or "experienced" rings, but they are now rare due to medical and practical complications.

The ring is small and understated, and was designed as a constant reminder, rather than a piece of jewelry. The rings were originally hammered manually, like this example, with a rough outer surface. They are still being made today, but machined. These modern examples share a similar design as a reminder of the manual process. Twelve half-circle facets are carved into the top and bottom of the outer surface, with the two sets of facets offset rotationally by fifteen degrees.

The ring size is a 8 US. It best that this ring fits and is not altered. It can be made smaller, but it would be very hard to make bigger. Made in Canada, circa 1930's.