Reunited With My Rings

I phoned Margaret Forbes the jewellers this morning to inquire about my signet rings left with them one week ago to be resized. They were ready, so I headed in to Belfast again and Arthur Street.

There used to be two very well established jeweller's shops in Arthur Street; and they both closed down about a decade ago: Sydney Hanna was at 18, Arthur Street - I think - and I recall his son, Alan, who ran the shop and wore about three Rolex watches from his wrist upwards! He showed them off to us once while we awaited dinner at the Lobster Pot in Strangford 25 years ago. Sinclair's Antique Gallery was situated at the other side of the street; a fine little emporium it was, too.

Inside Margaret Forbes' shop, I tried on my rings and they fitted without any trouble this time. They aren't too loose, which is fine. I was charged £30 for resizing the pair - a reasonable price, I felt, considering I was quoted £30-£50 by another goldsmith to resize one ring. They look like new.

My signet rings are both 22 carat gold: 91.6% pure gold (thus the hallmark 916), and 8.4% in other metal. Interestingly, one ring is noticeably more yellowish; while the other is more reddish. Presumably one has 8.4% copper and one might have 8.4% silver or whatever.

The reddish one was created by Bill Steenson in 2000 and has the Millennium Mark; and the other ring was made by Ruffs about four years ago ( following a burglary at our home when my original Graham Harron ring was stolen). Harron made it with three gold sovereigns which I supplied; and I gather it is illegal to melt such coinage!