This ring, exceptional in its movement, the minute skill in its execution, and the rarity of its materials is an undeniable work of art. All three of the symbols on the intaglio are sacred to Diana, goddess of the moon. A stag in mid-leap over a cypress shrub dominates the metallic cerulean face. A scorpion, the beast that killed Orion, Diana’s only love, is poised underground, pincers wickedly opened and tail rigidly pointed. This piece tells us of the duality of the world- that under our leaping stags and rich cypress trees, scorpions lie in wait to spoil the joy of our leap and our hunt. The enigmatic moon, though it sheds light, has a brooding quality, and dark-side to it. The intriguing choice of sardonyx, offset by a silver band captures the very essence and color of the moon. As one turns this ring about their finger, their eyes taking in the cool curvature of the silver, the rich glass of the sardonyx- he may pause and think about the wistful, quixotic, and sometimes gloomy poetry, music, and art created under the enigmatic patronage of Diana. This piece is pensive, it is mysterious, and its beauty is far more complex and intricate than a standard depiction of votive gods or pastoral animals. It reminds those of us who worship the moon, the mysterious and sometimes dangerous beauty of the exceptional, that we are not alone in our starry-eyed dreaming. size of ring is 8.75