‘Once in a lifetime’ ring found in Cotswolds sells for thousands

A 400-year-old ring – described by the metal detectorist who unearthed it as a “once in a lifetime find” – has fetched thousands at auction.

The diamond cluster gold ring, which is thought to date back to the late 16th or early 17th Century, was discovered in Wormington, Gloucestershire, in November 2024.

Stuart Jones said he was “absolutely overwhelmed with joy” after finding the ring and added he would split the proceeds of the sale with the landowner.

The ring went under the hammer on Tuesday and was bought by an English phone bidder for £17,000. Jones said seeing it sell for that price was “beyond anything he could have imagined”.

The 19.2 carat ring was examined by the British Museum and Laura Smith, a jewellery specialist who said the piece was in keeping with the style of the time which required “grand rings to make an impression from a distance”.

“This ring has a flowerhead bezel composed of a cluster of eight hogback diamonds – which is very rare – although two are loose,” she said prior to the auction at Noonans Mayfair.