The distinguished private collection, known as the Griffin Collection, is comprised of examples of every category of ring—signet, devotional, memorial, decorative—dating from antiquity to modern times. This catalog focuses on about one hundred special rings, chosen as highlights of this extensive collection of a history of the art of the ring across the ages.   As reveals, rings can tell us more about the hopes, aspirations, tastes, and sentiments of our ancestors than any other jewels surviving from the past. Moreover, the examples from the Griffin Collection, which have been assembled with taste and discernment over several decades, are not only rare but also of unusually high quality and intrinsic value. Alongside the fantastic images, Diana Scarisbrick, one of the world’s leading jewelry historians, offers a glimpse into the lives of their owners.