The decoration of this ring reflects several Christian motifs. The eagle had been a popular motif in Roman art, and was re-purposed in Christian contexts. Several Biblical passages alude to the symbolism of the Eagle, most frequently in connection to its speed and as a symbol of protection. The monogram of Alpha and Omega, the first and last letters of the Ionic Greek alphabet, is a reference to Revelations 21.6 , 'I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the End'. This motif appears frequently in early Christian art from the Fourth Century onwards, often accompanied by the Cross or Chi-Rho.

This ring originally formed part of the collection of Edmund Waterton, a collection of approximately 760 rings designed with the aim of illustrating the history of rings of all periods and types. The majority of the collection was acquired by the Museum in 1871, with a remaining part being acquired in 1899, after Waterton’s bankruptcy forced him to part with it in 1868. The rings were held as security against a loan by the jeweler Robert Phillips for two years, but when Waterton missed an 1870 deadline to repay the loan, Phillips sold the collection to the Museum, having first contacted regarding a possible purchase in 1869.