Roman Bronze Ring - 'Mercurialis' (1st–3rd c. CE) EU 46 / US 3.75
Visible traces of centuries of human history. Authenticity guaranteed for life.
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- One-of-one. No restock, no replica.
- Authenticated against published typologies.
- Lifetime authenticity guarantee in writing.
- Free insured shipping within the EU. Dispatched in 1 to 3 business days, DHL Express delivery in 2 to 4 business days. 30-day returns.
Shipping, export & payment
Piece details
- Era
- Roman
- Material
- Bronze
- Rarity
- Rare
- Ring size
- EU 46 / US 3.75Size guide
- Provenance
- See recorded history
- Authenticity
- Lifetime guarantee
Questions about this piece? info@auroraantiqua.com
Yes, you can wear it.
All Aurora rings are sturdy enough to wear. Like any piece of jewellery they pick up small scratches, so wearing is at your own risk. If you want to keep a piece exactly as it is, we advise against daily wear.
Avoid prolonged water exposure. A detailed care guide ships with every order.
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- Card data never stored on our servers
- Apple Pay, Google Pay, Shop Pay supported
- Free insured shipping within the EU
- EU 2–4 days · outside the EU a flat €95 incl. export licence, about 3 weeks before dispatch
- Import duties and taxes outside the EU are not included
- Ships in a linen-wrapped wooden box
- 30 days from delivery
- Return at your own shipping
- Refund once the item arrives back with us
- Written lifetime guarantee with every piece
- Full refund if ever shown to be inauthentic
- No expiry · for the original buyer and any inheritor
A Roman bronze ring named 'Mercurialis', with Mercury depicted as a capped walking figure.
The Motif:
Mercury is shown walking, wearing a cap and holding a branching object in one hand and a short downward-pointing object in the other. An oval border frames the device on the integral bezel.
Details:
Era: Roman
Dating: ca. 1st–3rd c. CE
Material: Bronze
Ring Size: EU 46 / US 3.75
Condition: Dark grey-green corrosion across the exterior with minor pitting; a matt orange earthen deposit inside the hoop and in the incised lines of the device and border groove; the figure clearly readable
Provenance: Private collection of A.A., Copenhagen, Denmark.
Unique Identifier: CR-620-B
Authenticity: Comes with certificate of authenticity
Restoration and Authenticity:
This piece has been cleaned, but the patina has been left intact. For those who prefer a refreshed look, a professional restoration service is available, reviving original detail while respecting historical integrity.
If you’d like to book a restoration, simply add the restoration option along with your order or book it as the additional product in my shop.
A Certificate of Authenticity is included.
Historical Context:
The continuous hoop and integral oval bezel can be compared with Guiraud Type 2. The figure is identified as Mercury in the current accepted reading; Mercury's established Roman associations include commerce and travel. The schematic objects in his hands are described by their visible shapes.
The capped walking figure fills the bordered oval bezel.
Explore more Roman rings from our collection.
Live pieces from the same era.
Roman Bronze Ring - 'Aquilarius' (2nd–3rd c. CE) EU 50 / US 5.25
Roman Bronze Ring - 'Hesperia' (2nd–4th c. CE) EU 47 / US 4
Roman Bronze Ring - 'Corvellus' (2nd–3rd c. CE) EU 48 / US 4.5
Roman Bronze Ring - 'Corvidus' (2nd–3rd c. CE) EU 50 / US 5.25
How do I know it's real?
Jakob, who runs Aurora, examines each piece himself before it is listed. He looks at four things:
Metal and surface
The metal and its ageing, the surface patina and any burial deposits.
Wear
Whether the wear is consistent with genuine use.
Manufacture
Whether the manufacturing marks belong to the period.
Style and type
Whether the stylistic details fit known types.
Every piece ships with its certificate of authenticity in the box and a written lifetime authenticity guarantee.
How Aurora compares.
A side-by-side look at how an Aurora piece is sold, versus the two most common alternatives.
| Aurora | Auction houses | eBay | Other platforms | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lifetime authenticity guarantee | ✓ | depends | ✗ | rarely |
| Documented provenance | ✓ | sometimes | rarely | sometimes |
| Returns | 30 days | no returns | no returns | no returns |
| Free insured EU shipping | ✓ | add-on | add-on | add-on |
| Linen-wrapped wooden gift box | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Written certificate, signed | ✓ | depends | ✗ | depends |
| Customer service answered personally by the owner | ✓ | days | varies | varies |
What it feels like to wear something this old.
★★★★★This is one of my favorite stores on Etsy, anywhere for that matter. This ring is spectacular, an exceptional example of the type in use during the Roman Empire and an amazing piece of history. The packaging the ring was delivered in was beautiful and appropriate to the piece and speaks to the care and attention to detail that owner invests in his work. The inventory at Aurora Antiqua is second-to-none and the customer service from the store owner is just world class. My highest recommendation!
Verified buyer · Etsy
★★★★★Jakob is amazing! He was communicative about shipping and sent the certificate of authentication. The piece is absolutely beautiful and I could tell he spent time, energy, and love refurbishing the ring. I bought this for my mom for Christmas and she is going to love it as much as me.
Verified buyer · Etsy
★★★★★I bought this piece for my son and had this shop restore it. It looks perfect! And fits great! The restoration is thorough while still preserving the antique look. And I received my piece in about 2 weeks (from Brussels to Texas). Thankful for the frequent communication also. Highly recommend this shop!
Verified buyer · Etsy
★★★★★This ring is so stunning & unique! I love wearing a piece of history! Jakob is lovely & very communicative. I highly recommend this shop if you’re looking for a gorgeous piece of history!
Verified buyer · Etsy
★★★★★Transaction exceeded my expectations. Excellent customer service, fast shipping and beautiful ring.
Verified buyer · Etsy
Questions, honestly answered.
Is this ring really ancient?
Yes. Jakob, who runs Aurora, examines each piece himself before it is listed. The proposed date and the evidence for the individual attribution are given in the listing. The date stated on the certificate is binding: if a piece is ever shown not to be of the period stated, we refund the full purchase price. Forever, no expiry.
How is it authenticated?
Jakob, who runs Aurora, examines each piece himself before it is listed. He looks at the metal and its surface, wear, manufacture, style and type. The certificate of authenticity ships in the box, backed by our lifetime authenticity guarantee.
Can I wear it daily?
Yes, at your own risk. Aurora rings are sturdy enough to wear, but like any piece of jewellery they pick up small scratches; if you want to keep a piece exactly as it is, we advise against daily wear. Avoid prolonged water exposure (showers, sea, pools) and any harsh cleaning. The patina is part of the object's history; please don't polish it. A care guide ships with every order.
What if it doesn't fit my finger?
Ancient rings cannot be resized without compromising the original metal. Three options: return within 30 days for a full refund; wear it on a chain (we can recommend a goldsmith for a sympathetic mount); or keep it as a display object. Many Aurora pieces are lived with rather than worn every day.
What's the return process?
30 days from delivery. Pieces restored on commission after purchase are excluded, as the restoration alters them permanently. The piece must return in the condition it arrived, in its original packaging. Return shipping is at the buyer's cost; we send a tracked, insured label and quote it first. Full refund within 3 business days of arrival back to us.
How is it shipped?
Fully insured, tracked, signature on delivery, in a linen-wrapped wooden box with the certificate and care guide. EU dispatch within 1–3 business days. EU delivery: 2–4 business days after dispatch. Outside the EU, a flat €95 per order covers the official export licence, which adds about 3 weeks before dispatch; transit itself is 2–5 business days by insured express courier. Import duties and taxes outside the EU are not included. We confirm your personal timeline by email within 24 hours of ordering.
Where do Aurora rings come from?
The provenance line in each listing gives the piece's history as far as it is recorded. Some pieces have a longer chain of earlier owners; for others the record begins with a recent sale. Read the information for the individual piece and ask us about its records before buying.
What does the lifetime guarantee cover?
A written promise that if the piece is ever shown to be inauthentic or not of the stated period, we refund the full purchase price. No expiry. The guarantee applies to the original buyer and any subsequent inheritor of the piece.
Stay in the loop.
First look at new pieces, before they go on the public catalogue.
Have it restored before it ships.
Hands-on restoration in our own workshop. Brings the ring back to how it would have appeared when originally worn — while preserving the character that only centuries can create.
- Surface restoration · original metal revealed where appropriate
- Structural corrections · bent shanks, distortions, cracks
- Interior left untouched · historical wear preserved
- Timing · adds about 2 weeks to delivery
Bronze pieces: patina is reduced or removed as part of the process. Keep the patina → skip restoration.
Recorded collection history.
The provenance line in each listing gives the piece's recorded history. Some pieces have a longer chain of earlier owners; for others the record begins with a recent sale. Where earlier history is limited, the listing states that openly.
- Ask us about the records for this piece
- Provenance stated on the certificate and on the listing
- Where the exact origin cannot be established with certainty, we state that openly
Lifetime authenticity guarantee.
A written promise that if a piece is ever shown to be inauthentic or not of the period stated, we refund the full purchase price. Forever, no expiry. It applies to the original buyer and any subsequent inheritor of the piece.
- Examined by Jakob before listing (metal and surface · wear · manufacture · style and type)
- Certificate of authenticity in the box and a written lifetime guarantee
- Full refund forever if ever shown to be wrong
From the Roman period.
1st century BC to 5th century CE. Across the Roman empire — from imperial workshops in Rome to the western provinces and the Greek East — rings were cast and engraved in bronze, silver and gold for every level of society. Engraved intaglios, signet rings, marriage bands, and devotional pieces all survive in meaningful numbers thanks to the durability of cast metal.
Rare.
A genuine step above standard pieces. Documented in the published catalogues and held by institutions, but private-market specimens come up less frequently. Collector-grade.
- Legendary · canonical piece — museum or headline-auction tier
- Super rare · only a handful documented across all major collections
- Very Rare · museum-tier configuration in private hands
- Rare · documented in catalogues, scarce on the market
- Uncommon · distinct examples, selective availability
- Common · characteristic, well-attested period example