18K Gold Josephine Baker Banded Agate Signet Ring with Enamel and Rubies

This 18k gold ring features the image of Josephine Baker, beautifully carved into a grey-blue banded agate intaglio. Part of our signature collection, we were intrigued by the composition of the intaglio—there is something lyrical about the line work and the joyful imagery of the dancer. The dancer’s silhouette makes a strong diagonal line, and the tiny flower or ball that she is balancing draws the eye across the intaglio. We designed a ring setting that would frame the intaglio and reiterate the streamline designs of the 1920’s. The black enamel along the sides pick up the black of the banded agate, and the four rubies in the corners of the frame balance the diagonal lines of the figure. The rubies are held in talon-prongs that look insect-like, as if a tiny creature were holding them in place. The mount is sizable, with good proportions and rounded corners, true to Art Deco design elements. Without knowing the dancer is Josephine Baker, the image on the intaglio seems to be simply a beautiful depiction of an elegant dancer. But when looked at closely, the outline of Josephine’s iconic banana skirt can be seen. One of the most heroic and inspirational figures of our time, this ring can be worn as a tribute to Josephine Baker, as well as a reminder of all that can be accomplished in one’s lifetime. 

Josephine Baker was an American-born French dancer, singer, actress, and the first Black woman to star in a major motion picture. During her career, she was among the most celebrated performers to headline the Folies Bergère in Paris, and her costume, which consisted only of a short skirt made of bananas and a beaded necklace, was an iconic symbol of both the Jazz Age and the Roaring Twenties. Beyond her successful career as a performer, Baker was also a spy for the French Resistance during World War II. She had her pilot’s license and flew missions during the Phoney War, using the protections of her celebrity status to gain classified information and smuggle intelligence across borders. She sheltered resistance fighters and Jewish refugees. After the war, she continued her work as a performer, and was an activist in the American Civil Rights movement. She refused to perform to segregated audiences, and famously turned down large sums of money until clubs agreed to meet her demands—which played a key role in the integration of mixed audiences at live entertainment. She adopted 12 children of various ethnicities and was inducted into the Panthéon in Paris, one of the highest honors in France. 

The ring contains four natural rubies. The banded agate intaglio was purchased at the Tuscan Gem Show and is a hand-carved piece by Lorenz Gravuren, known for their custom gemstone engravings and high end signet rings. Lorenz Gravuren is a German family-owned company founded in 1969, globally recognized for their use of centuries-old craftsmanship and for working with master gemstone carvers and master goldsmiths. 

The ring weighs 12.5 grams. The face of the ring measures 3/4” x 11/16”, and the band is 2.9 mm wide. Marked as 18k gold. 

Ring size 7.