Afghan Ring with Buddha Bead

Red and green waves on black, set in gold like a small, striped planet.

This ring from Afghanistan combines gold and glass, with a bead described in the record as a Buddha bead. An irregular oval bead, banded with wavy lines in red, grey-green and white on a dark ground, is held in a plain gold bezel. The shoulders of the ring are worked in rounded, scrolling gold forms, with small bits of pale inlay. The bead is smooth and glassy, and the gold has a gentle softness from wear.

A statement ring, with the kind of stripes that stay in the memory.