Chinese Ring with Chess Piece

A cream disc with a single dark red character and four tiny pegs at its edges.

This bone and sterling silver ring with chess piece is from China, and is contemporary. Chess is generally thought to descend from an Indian game, and a Chinese relative called xiangqi has been played in China for many centuries. A round, flat-faced piece with a thin white rim and a pale yellow face speckled with brown. A painted maroon character fills the center. Metal studs stick out at the top, bottom, and both sides.

A small piece, written with a very steady hand.