THIS RING, with its deep black glass cabochon set in a 22k gold quatrefoil mount, was likely made in the 13th or 14th century. The quatrefoil, a four-lobed design seen in Gothic cathedrals and religious art, symbolized the four evangelists and the harmony of divine order. While noble courts were commissioning intricate jewels and manuscripts, everyday life was shifting: cities were growing, universities were forming (like Oxford and the Sorbonne), and scholasticism was on the rise. Alchemy, astrology, and early medicine were tangled together in the pursuit of understanding the material and spiritual world. Black glass—less costly than gem-grade stones—was often used to imitate jet or onyx and may have served both protective and decorative purposes. It’s likely this ring once belonged to a wealthy merchant or cleric seeking beauty, symbolism, and status all in one object.