Rings are the most commonly surviving medieval jewels. They were worn by both sexes, across all levels of society, made of gold and silver and cheaper metals such as brass or bronze. Some portraits show wearers with multiple rings across all their fingers. This ring is made with a series of knobs around the hoop, to be used to count the 'Hail Mary' or 'Our Father' prayers of a rosary.

Rings engraved with religious figures or scenes are often known as ‘iconographic rings’. They were decorated with the popular saints of the middle ages: Catherine, Barbara, Christopher, George and Margaret as well as figures of the Virgin Mary, Christ or the Three Kings. These rings were worn as a sign of faith but were also believed to offer protection from both spiritual and earthly dangers. Pregnant women prayed to St Margaret for a safe delivery whilst travellers appealed to St Christopher. Dying without receiving the sacraments or preparing your soul was a great fear and it was believed that protection could be gained by looking at images of saints such as Christopher and Barbara.

This ring forms part of a collection of over 600 rings and engraved gems from the collection of Edmund Waterton (1830-81). Waterton was one of the foremost ring collectors of the nineteenth century and was the author of several articles on rings, a book on English devotion to the Virgin Mary and an unfinished catalogue of his collection (the manuscript is now the National Art Library). Waterton was noted for his extravagance and financial troubles caused him to place his collection in pawn with the London jeweller Robert Phillips. When he was unable to repay the loan, Phillips offered to sell the collection to the Museum and it was acquired in 1871. A small group of rings which Waterton had held back were acquired in 1899.