Vintage Abalone Inlay Silver Bypass Ring

Two soft, leaf-like ends curve past each other across the finger, each set with a sliver of abalone shell that shimmers in ocean blues, greens, and violet. Bypass rings with abalone inlay were a signature of Mexican silversmithing from the 1960s and 1970s, and they brought a coastal iridescence into fluid, sculptural metal. The silhouette is organic and slightly hand-formed, so it feels more found than made. It’s an easy everyday ring with a quiet pull toward the sea.

Materials
Silver, abalone shell

Details

• Era: 1960s–1970s
• Style / design notes: Bypass design with two curved, leaf-shaped terminals and a hand-finished organic surface
• Stone or material notes: Inlaid abalone shell in segmented pieces, with blue, green, and violet iridescence
• Color: Silver, iridescent blue-green
• Condition: Good vintage condition. The abalone is intact, with natural seams between the segments, small gaps in the setting compound around the edges of the inlay, light surface scratches, and some soft tarnish in the recesses
• Measurement: Size 6.5

Collected by Mineral and Matter