Stuart Jones, a metal-detecting hobbyist from England, ended a long day of searching in Wormington, Gloucestershire, with an extraordinary find: an ancient gold ring set with eight diamonds. Jones said the discovery was deeply emotional and called it the best object he had ever uncovered, adding that he had always hoped to find something remarkable but never expected something of such historical importance.
The ring, dated to the 16th century, was examined by the British Museum, which confirmed its significance. It is now set to go on auction at Noonans of Mayfair on June 23, 2026, with estimates putting the sale price at as much as about $20,000. As is customary in such cases, the proceeds will be split evenly between Jones and the landowner where the ring was found.
Jones’s recovery of the item was itself dramatic. When he lifted the ring from the ground, one diamond came loose and fell beside him. Another stone was missing, but he carefully collected the surrounding soil and was able to locate it too, preserving the find almost completely after centuries underground.
Jewelry specialist Laura Smith of the auction house said rings from the period were designed to impress even from a distance. She explained that this one has a flower-shaped head made from a rare cluster of eight “hogback” diamonds, an early precursor to the baguette cut. The gold was also tested and found to be 19.2 karat, or about 80% pure gold.
